Hello All, welcome back to the story!

This is the beginning of the last arc before we hit Halo canon.

Just as Arc 2 had tonal differences in the story, so will Arc 3.

This Arc will be far less combative and will involve a lot more intrigue than in the previous arcs which will present its own challenges writing wise.

It will also be truer to the world building elements in the literal sense as Illos and the universe at large is slowly revealed to you guys and there will be more science fiction involved in this Arc along with philosophical questions and moral decisions that may or may not be right (or wrong).

Without further adieu, please enjoy the post and let me know what you think!

Note: If you would like to read ahead, the next three chapters are available on P^A^T^R^E^O^N / Boombox117 where we are now on the third final Arc of the story .

The discord channel is d^i^s^c^o^r^d^.^g^g^/^v^r^8^8^t^6^4^Y^e^7

24th of June 1952

Fortie POV

"Oof" he said as tumbled onto the grass, almost falling flat on his face after jumping down higher than he had ever before.

It was a record, he knew for sure!

A scraping noise above drew his attentions and he snapped back to attention, his eyes wide at the loudness of the noise, knowing that his brother was going to wake everyone up!

He quickly got back up to his feet and faced towards the second floor of their home "Gaius, careful! You're going to wake everyone up!" he whispered, hissing the words more than saying them.

His brother seemed to hear him as the scraping noise of the chair disappeared and his brother's head popped out of the window and began to climb out of the window very slowly.

He took the chance to look around whilst his brother took his time. It was a little dark, the huuuge round lights that were as bright as the sun was during the summer time were now very dim, almost so dim that he couldn't see very far ahead of him.

They were always this dim when it was bed time.

He could see in the distance some of the lights were on in the buildings though, probably trying do all kinds of nice things!

He grew impatient, turned around and whispered again "Hurry!" he didn't want to get caught, not like the last time!

"Ok, ok" his friend said grumpily as he turned around, hanging on to the side of the building.

He looked hesitant, fearful, in the dim morning lights and Fortie knew his brother needed some courage "Come on Gaius, it's not that far, it only looks far!"

It didn't seem to convince him and Fortie was fed up, his face scrunching "Fine, I'll go alone!" he said petulantly, a little louder than he really should have but he didn't care and he turned around, stomping away.

He heard a thud and swiveled around and saw his brother groan on the floor. He beamed widely at his brother as he ran to him and picked him up from under the armpits "I knew you could do it" he whispered happily.

"My knees hurt" Gaius complained miserably whilst he hobbled along as distance between themselves and their home grew.

"It'll be fine" he waved the concerns of his brother away as he patted him on the back "Just think what we will be able to tell the others in class tomorrow!" he whispered excitedly, the lights around the home fading away as they continued to walk away from their home onto the very quiet street.

That caused Gaius to smile, he could see faintly "I hope it'll be worth it" his brother muttered a little worried "I don't want mama to be angry at us for nothing" but he waved it away.

"Mama Lysa won't be too angry. She'll only make us do boring chores which are not that bad!" he said easily. It would be worth it too!

"Yeah" his brother agreed "Mama doesn't make us do terrible things when we've been too naughty, not like Ms Kelly."

Fortie nodded furiously as he remembered Appia tell them what Ms Kelly did to Flavius and the others when they broke the rules.

"Our mama is the best" Fortie said resolutely. He felt a little bad that he was out past bedtime but this was a mission! An adventure!

She'd love to hear about it too, he was sure of it!

"Much better than their mama" Gaius agreed eagerly as the fading lights of their home no longer offered any more light than the dim lights that hung in the sky.

"When can we use our lights?" Gaius asked and he glanced at the dark face of his brother and knew he was likely biting his lip in concern. He did that a lot.

"When we're a little down the hill, not that far now" he told his brother, taking his arm and walked a little quicker.

Their home was on a hill overlooking the buildings on the far side with the biggest Mountain in all of Illos behind their home. But the biggest buildings were the best ones to see! They were like four really tall ones with the tallest building much much bigger and it was also where he stayed!

They were all very similar, buildings that had gaps in the middle and were almost like separate building but squashed together. Sometimes, these buildings had like a small light in the middle and they became like candles!

The Teacher showed them a picture of the city once it would be finished – he said that it was only a third complete! – and it looked really nice!

Apparently it would be finished by the time they were eleven or twelve which was a long time from now, almost double the ages they were now!

They were all like little islands with two big rings of water separating them with lots and lots of little water rings and water roads.

He hadn't been there before, until today!

Their home was not far from the first big ring of water, like maybe forty minutes walking or an hour if they were slow like some of the others.

Their home was on a hill with other homes that were also on hills not far from them. The hills were like big bubbles pressed together, all with streets that snaked around that became one big street with lots of green trees and plants of all kinds of colours and even purple flowers that lit up when you touched it! And they went downhill into the street that led to their school and also to the big bridge that connected to the tallest building in all of Illos!

There was no one else on their hill just like with the other homes and they had all kinds of things. They had a football field, hoopball, and many other fun things!

The other homes were the same but their hill was nicer, even mama agree and she does not lie!

Their school was kind of far, it took almost half an hour walking but it was OK! Their classmates had to do it too and they had all kinds of fun especially when they played games on their way to school!

Like catching others in a game of tag and lighting up their purple flowers that they'd pick from the side of the streets!

A lot of their games were really fun.

They just had to make sure they weren't late because no one wanted to get on Teacher's bad side! He remembered the last time they were late and he had vowed never to do it again! He had to stay in for like the entire weekend just to finish his homework!

"OK, we can use the lights now" he whispered to his brother as they walked downhill, far from any houses.

"OK" his brother said quickly and they both raised one of their hands "Light!" they said almost in unison and their hands began to glow though Gaius' was far brighter than his own.

"Gaius!" he hissed out, pulling on his shirt "Remember the breathing trick!" he told his brother as he looked around him, hoping that no one saw the bright light.

His brother eventually got it under control and now both of their lights were only little but enough to make sure they could see where they were going.

"Sorry, I forgot" his brother mumbled.

"It's OK, we only learnt last week anyway" he shrugged. It wasn't very difficult but his brother seemed to have a bit of a problem doing these kinds of things.

He had trouble with levitating before then too. He wasn't the only one, a few of their siblings and classmates had an issue too at first but they did manage to do it after a little while.

Not like him though, he was good at getting things on the first go!

After a long while, they arrived, finally, at the foot of the slope onto the street that would lead to the Bridge, past their school and it would be their biggest challenge yet!

They'd been there before, after school, but they never dared to go on it! It would take an age to pass and if they were caught by one of the Elders, they would be in a world of trouble!

But today they would be able to do it! Mama was away visiting other mamas and they could cross the Bridge without being worried about it taking an age! They could sneak past any Elders, he was sure of it!

They walked past their school quietly and sneakily and they finally got to the Bridge, oohing and aahing as they stared the dark buildings that were all like squished together into one big one. They were so so tall too! Much taller than they looked like from school!

There were a few lights on, even the one that he'd seen a lot of Elders go into!

Julia said that it was there were all Elders went to smooch each other.

He scrunched his nose.

He didn't really know what it meant, only that Julia said that she heard the older girls from the Pandrosion Institute talked about smooching a lot but she never explained what it really meant. Maybe it was like a daring game.

Anyway, they had to be careful and make sure no one saw them!

"Do you really think he'll be there?" his brother whispered as they turned off their lights and walked sneakily through the main street after having crossed the first section of the bridge, trying to hug the buildings as they crossed one side of the street into the darker side.

"Yes" he said to his brother, his eyes brimming with excitement "Fausta said she heard one of the Elders say that he always sat in the park by the main building after flying down from Mount Celestis! Every night! So that means he be there now too!

"I hope so" his brother muttered concerned but he paid it no mind.

He would be there, he knew he would be!

All their lives they heard about him, the man who built all there was to see in Illos, even Mount Celestis itself with only his lady friend!

He was really impressed when heard that he built Mount Celestis! He'd seen the Faceless Ones – Golems – working once on a small building and that took a few days to finish.

If he did the same with Mount Celestis then it must have taken forever!

Mount Celestis was the tallest mountain ever and the top was almost higher than the metal walls! One day he'd fly to the top on a skymobile or maybe even fly without one like he was said to do all the time!

They finally managed to walk past the buildings, almost having been caught by one of the Elders who had been walking on the other side of the street but they were clever and made sure to stick around by the walls and shadows where they could hide if they needed to!

They were past the second part of the bridge and now the tallest building in all of Illos was in front of them and they marvelled at it.

"Wooow" his brother whispered in awe and he agreed.

Even in the dim lights of the orbs it was amazing to see the waterfalls and the glittering stones that made it look like they were out of gold. It was all so big and pretty.

They stepped onto the railings as they came across a set of stairs and they saw that it led to a park nearby and they excitedly ran down the stairs, their lights now off as the street lights were bright enough.

The streets were very quiet, it had been a long time now since they had seen another Elder. Teacher had explained once that Illos didn't have many people yet but every year more and more were making it their home!

He didn't know a lot of Elders, but he did learn to recognise the ones that seemed really new! They looked funny with strange robes, nothing like the normal clothes that everyone else wore!

A lot of the older students from Pandrosion Institute who came from the Outside stayed in Illos after finishing school. They were apparently from families who he personally invited to their homes, to come and learn and even make Illos their home!

Teacher said sometimes they said no and he couldn't understand why! He'd seen the Holos of the Outside, it was so dirty!

They finally arrived by the gates of the big park and they walked through it, the path led them through dimly lit areas.

"What's that?" his brother said and he turned to him. His brother's eyes were squinted and he looked at where he was looking and saw strange lights that seemed to be dancing.

"It must be him!" Fortie exclaimed excitedly and he ran towards it.

"Fortie, wait!" his brother cried out but it was too late. Fortie didn't really what he'd do when he'd see his hero but that was OK, he'd think of something! He was always good at thinking of something to do!

He was off the path that snaked around the park and into the bushes and trees, weaving his way through them, hopping and jumping over roots and thorny bushes.

The lights grew brighter, the whizzing and twisting lights grew more obvious and his eyes goggled as he came to a dead stop, his mouth open in wonder.

Thousands, maybe even millions of lights danced in a very strange way but it didn't make it any more pretty. They were aglow, their colours a mix of golds and silvers and he couldn't help but stare in wonder.

They seemed to dance around the trees and in them as well, like when he and his siblings danced during Beltane in front of a camp fire.

His brother breathed heavily as he slumped over, holding his knees. "Fire-bees" he said with a slight struggle and Fortie looked at his brother with wide eyes.

"You sure?" he said in wonder before he looked again at the lights.

"Yes, I saw them in a Holo in the school Library" his brother answered, his voice now stabler though it wasn't hard to hear he was also really impressed by what they were seeing.

"Your brother is right" he heard a deep voice and they both jumped.

"Aarrghh" his brother squeaked out, clutching his arm as he did so. Fortie didn't mind, he was also holding onto his brother as they swivelled around like a whip and their eyes nearly popped out of their heads.

"Y-Yy-you're…" his brother stammered which was better than what he could manage right now!

It was him!

He wasn't looking at them but was looking at the fire-bees instead. His arms were behind his back and he looked very relaxed.

He was dressed like the other Elders but slightly darker. His hair was very long, like a girl's but he wouldn't say that to him!

"They're Japanese Fire-bees from the Hokkaido region. An endangered magical species. Well done child for recognising what they were." He turned his head towards them, a kind smile on his face. His brother flushed embarrassed but he knew his brother was very happy to hear it from him!

He felt a little jealous but it didn't occupy his mind too much as he couldn't help but be drawn to his eyes that seemed to be glowing like the fire-bees!

They were very purple and even the small drops of green were very green!

"You're far from your home, children" he said calmly with a raised eyebrow, one that reminded him a lot of mama when she was expecting an answer from them.

"I-I-I…" his brother stammered again and he elbowed his brother slightly and his brother's mouth audibly clamped shut. His brother was really smart, he knew a lot but he was really bad at explaining stuff, especially when they needed to get out of trouble!

He turned around and met his hero's gaze and he slinked into himself, his feet shuffling awkwardly as he grew more and more nervous.

"We wanted to meet you!" he blurted out suddenly, unable to come up with something else to say.

"Really?" he said with his eyebrows raised.

"Yes" he nodded rapidly "We heard that you always came to this park every night and we thought we could meet you!"

"Yes!" his brother piped up, seemingly finding the strength to speak coherently "We heard from Fausta who heard from the Elders that you were always here!"

"And you decided to leave your home, in the middle of the night, cross the Bridge completely, somehow find your way here in this park hours later all because of a rumour that could be wrong?" He said with a raised eyebrow.

"…yes?" his brother said in a small, subdued voice.

"Well it wasn't wrong! You're here!" Fortie said brightly.

The man looked at him for a moment and finally nodded "That is true enough. Doesn't mean it was a good idea." He said with a look that he'd seen mama give sometimes "You could have been hurt or lost."

He shook his head rapidly "We're fine, we know how to be careful!" he denied. "We're really good at finding our way!" it hadn't been all that difficult at all! All the lights in the distance helped them to avoid where not to go!

"It seems so" the man said a little dryly, a small smile on his face before he glanced at them both "Well you have now met me…now what?" he asked curiously.

The brothers glanced at each other, before they looked at the man blankly. Fortie wasn't really sure what to say until his eyes brightened up.

"Can you really fly? Can you teach us how to fly too?" he said quickly, words burst out of his mouth in quick fashion.

He really wanted to fly like him!

The man said nothing for a moment until he thought he'd seen him almost smile "Is that why you came to find me? To learn how to fly?" he asked them.

"Do we need a better reason?" Fortie retorted without thinking, his eyes wide at what he said to his hero.

"Fortie!" his brother said in a furious whisper, his brother's eyes wide in terror at his cheekiness.

Though it seemed like it wasn't something that made the man angry since he began to laugh.

He stopped laughing as he looked at them with a smile on his face "I suppose not. Flying is an understandable reason to break the rules like you have done tonight" the man said to them. "And to answer your questions…" the man said and their eyes boggled when he began to hover slightly, his eyes glowing more brightly as his hair began to sway like it was breezy but it wasn't breezy at all!

"WOW"

"That is so…! Teach us, teach us please!" the brothers spoke over each other as they looked at their hero with uncontained excitement, something that seemed to make the man smile a little wider before he set back onto the ground.

"Yes I can fly" the man said with a humorous voice "But no, I will not teach you how to fly" the man told them with a smile still on his face.

"B-but why?" his brother exclaimed in dismay.

"Beside the fact that you broke a lot of rules to get here?" the man pointedly said to them, quieting them down "For one, it is a difficult thing to learn, one that would many years for you to be able to do"

"We're really good at magic!" Fortie said defensively "Look!" he said as he brought his hands out. "Light!" he said and his hands began to glow before he scrunched his face up a little, and the glow began to become bright until a light began to form in front of his hands, an orb much like the lights that illuminated all of Illos during winter.

"See!" Fortie exclaimed "We were only shown how to make light last week and I did this all by myself" he said proudly.

His brother also showed what he could do, and though he couldn't yet make an orb like he could, his light was also really good!

"See, we are really good at learning magic. We can learn how to fly easily too" Fortie said after he let the light go out, staring challengingly at his hero.

The man only smiled in the wake of his stare and suddenly asked "What are your names?"

"I-I'm Gaius Volusenus of clan Hardy" his brother said nervously "And this is my brother Ju-"

"Fortie" he said sharply, sending a glare at his brother. He didn't want his hero to know his girlie name.

"Fortie?" the man asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Fortie" he said firmly.

"My brother doesn't like his first name, not ever since he was teased about it." His brother said much to his annoyance. "It's because it is very similar t-" he elbowed his brother.

"oof" his brother said pained.

"Don't be so mean to your brother" the man said disapprovingly and he looked down. He didn't mean to be mean to his brother, he was his best friend! It was just he really hated his first name.

Fortie was much better!

"So you chose the name Fortie for yourself?" his hero asked him. He looked up and met his gaze and nodded rapidly

"It's my surname shortened!" he answered brightly. He liked his surname, it was different to everyone else's!

"I won't tell that either" he said slyly. "Not until you teach us how to fly!"

The man looked amused at that and looked at his brother who suspiciously looked down and Fortie smiled widely at his brother for not telling on him!

"I see" he said with a small smile.

"How old are you?" the man asked.

"Seven!" Fortie answered immediately

"Seven, almost eight" his brother said.

"Very young. I'm impressed." he said appraisingly and Fortie felt a deep swell of pride.

"Just as I'm sure you'll be grounded for just as long when I take you back home." The man said and Fortie felt like a pin pricked his balloon from the way his stomach dropped.

"What?!" his brother said in a panic.

The man chuckled as he looked at them with a look that reminded him of when mama looked like she thought they did a stupid thing but he didn't think what they did was stupid at all!

It was brave and clever!

"Did you think you could break so many rules without a punishment to suit it?" the man said.

"But…but..but grounded?!" his brother stammered before he snapped his head towards Fortie "You said that we would only have to do homework!" he said accusingly, pointing his finger at him.

"Hey, don't blame me!" Fortie said defensively before he looked at his hero, his eyes entreating "You don't have to teach us how to fly, sir" he said nervously "I think that is punishment enough?" he said with a weak smile.

Their hero's lips seemed to twitch before he slightly widened his arms, the palms of his hands facing upward "Come on, let's get you back." He said as they began rise in the air much to their shock.

They were flailing as they lost control over their bodies, the ground looking more and more distance

"Fortie we're flying!" his brother said in fearful but excited shock before he also began to rise and they shot up in the air, and he laughed, brightly! His brother was wailing slightly at the growing distance they were from the ground but to him, it was the greatest thing ever!

They rose and rose and rose until everything was so small except for the tallest building which looked even bigger up on high. His eyes were wide with wonder, the whistling winds didn't bother him.

It was so so amazing, to see everything even if it was still very dark! The lights of the buildings, the lights of the dim orbs that were up so high in the sky, it still allowed him to see a lot!

He outstretched his arms like a bird as they flew past the first ring, then the second ring and then finally began to head towards their home, everything ending so much quicker than he wanted. It took them hours to meet their hero but they were almost home in what felt like only minutes!

They began to go down, the hill their home stood on came into view, the door of the house open, lights all brightly on and his stomach dropped when he realised their mama was standing outside the door.

'Oops' he thought miserably, knowing that they could be grounded for forever.

But…

A smile crept on his face.

He FLEW!

It was worth all the punishment he'd get! He glanced at his brother who looked a little green and laughed. He was sure Gaius would feel the same tomorrow!

Especially when their siblings and the others were told! They'd be so jealous! They met their hero and they went flying with him!

They landed in front of their mother with only a slight stumble but they didn't have any time to relax.

"GAIUS VOLUSENUS HARDY" his mother growled out as she stomped towards them.

He blanched at her tone, knowing that they were in it and he tried to distract her from using his full name but it was to no avail.

"JULIUS FORTENCHO HARDY" she growled out, her eyes showing a fury that made him gulp.

"I don't know what you were thinking" she harshly as she seized both of their shoulders, causing them to yelp at the firm grip. She looked down at him and he blanched under her gaze "I know it was your idea" she said in a furious tone before she rounded up on Gaius "And you! You should know better than to cater to your brother's foolhardiness!" she said angrily and he could see his brother shaking in unshed tears in his eyes.

Now he really felt bad. Gaius didn't like upsetting mother too much, he didn't either but Gaius was too nice like that "It was-"

"Quiet, Julius" his mother said sternly.

"Fortie" he mumbled under his breath but remained quiet when the growl deepened.

She twisted them around

"Thank you, My Lord, for bringing them back home." She said to Lord Sayre gratefully who only inclined his head to her.

She tightened her grip on his shoulder, startling him "And what do you say, boys?" she asked with a tight smile, her eyes still showing anger.

"Thank you Lord Sayre" they mumbled at the same time, their eyes fixed on the ground.

"Your welcome" the man said and Fortie thought he could hear a smile in the man's voice so he looked up and saw him stepping closer to them and bent down to them so they were on eye level with each other.

"Despite the…unwise" Lord Sayre said with an amused smile, something that Fortie couldn't help but sheepishly smile in return to "way we have met, I am pleased to have met such bright children such as yourself though I have to say you should spare your mother from worrying so much" Lord Sayre said with an expectant look.

They looked at their mother and saw that she was still angry but also upset "We're sorry mama. We won't do this again" they promised to their mother and she softened a little bit.

"I'm glad but it doesn't get you out of being grounded for three months" she said sternly.

Three months?! He bit his tongue as the urge to protest was almost too much.

"It may seem harsh" Lord Sayre spoke up again, drawing their attentions "But it is a fair one. You could have gotten hurt and then imagine how bad your mother would have felt"

Fortie looked down.

"Go inside boys, I will need to speak with Lord Sayre for a moment" she said, pushing them towards the open door "If you do anything other than head straight to bed…" she said warningly and they nodded rapidly before they turned towards the door.

Fortie stopped even as Gaius ran towards the door and he turned, his gaze on Lord Sayre "Thank you for showing me what it's like to fly!" he said with a bright smile before a determination set in him.

"I will also learn how to do it, no matter how long it takes!" he vowed as much as he could. It was amazing, to fly like a bird.

No matter how long it took, even if it took forever, he would fly just like Lord Sayre!

"Julius!" His mother said sternly, her expression thunderous. He gulped and all confidence fled him.

'Time to go' he thought to himself as he turned but before he could ran out of hearing range, he heard Lord Sayre speak, words that he would carry for the rest of his life and live by.

"I expected as much, Mr Fortencho. I expect many great things from you."

It was a start of a journey that other children, many centuries in the future, would aspire to replicate or surpass.

-Break-

25th of June 1952 - Illos

Lyra Silamontaine POV

She hummed along to the song, her dancing feet swaying her as she waved her wand in fluid wide motions. The sizzling pans rose in the air before she flicked her wand and the three different types of pancakes were launched in the air before they landed on the opposite side into the buttered pans.

A satisfied smile grew on her face before she began to sing along to the music as she danced in the towel she wore.

A few minutes after she heard the deliberate footsteps and her eyes sparkled with delight as she turned around with a wide grin on her face as plates topped with different flavoured pancakes circled around her.

"HomeStead, play Snare the Thistles" she said quickly as she got into a dancing stance as the song she chose began to play which was a more…appropriate song for what she wanted to do.

Lyra began to sway, to dance, slowly, as the music began to build. Her arms travelled up and her arms moved just as her body did.

She arrived by the kitchen hall dressed in a nightgown her light olive skin shone radiantly as the morning rays hit her skin just the right way. Her eyes wide as she took turns at staring at a dancing Lyra and the floating food.

Lyra began to dance a little more…risqué with plates of pancakes floating around her like she was the centre of their universe, her eyes sparkling in amused delight at the sight of her love looking slightly befuddled and confused.

"What are you doing?" Amelie said with a laughing gawp of an expression, her sharp incisors bared in a stupefied smile as the music began turn a lot more…spicy.

"Dancing" Lyra said with a widening grin as she shrugged, ever edging closer to Amelie with a hop in her step and her hips moving in what she thought was very sexy.

"I'm not sure you are" Amelie said a laugh in her voice as she walked down the little steps that connected the kitchen to the rest of the ground floor of their home.

Lyra flicked her wand and the plates flew towards the table before she twirled her wand above her head and her towel turned into a silken dress that had a long tail which began to circle around Lyra and Amelie, bringing them ever closer, her hips moving ever more seductively as she sought to ensnare Amelie.

Amelie's eyes began to shine with more than a little interest as the dress that hugged Lyra's body clung onto her like a gift wrapped present and Amelie's eyes seemed to shine more and more as time passed, as if she wanted to strip her bare from the way her eyes grew more intense.

"Are you saying that my sexy, sexy moves aren't working?" Lyra said with a beguiling smile as her eyebrows wiggled at Amelie. They finally were close enough to touch and she shivered as the cold touch of Amelie's hands which began to roam over her body.

"I didn't say that…" Amelie said seductively as twirled Lyra around with inhuman speed, causing her to gasp as she was turned around with Amelie behind her and her lips on her neck, slow tending kisses trailing across her neck as she gyrated against Amelie.

"My, my…" Lyra whispered with a moan, her eyes closed "I didn't realise you were interested in another kind of meal…" she said as she snaked her head around and was greeted with Amelie's face, her red brown eyes were as bright as a hallowed sunset.

Her lips twisted in a sharp smile, one that failed to hide her sharp incisors, the gleam in her eyes seeming far more predatory than lustful "How could I resist…" she said with a whisper as she brought her lips closer "When you danced so so sexily…" she said with a teasing lilt in her voice as their lips were almost touching.

Lyra's smile widened into a grin as she stuck out her tongue, licking Amelie's lips not unlike a smothering wet tongue of a canine. Amelie leaned back in surprise before she narrowed her eyes into slits "Naughty…" she said in a low growl, one that sent shivers down Lyra's spine as her eyes danced with delight.

She backed away, slowly, as Amelie stared her down with hunger in her eyes. She didn't get far as Amelie inhumanely got right in front of her, her hands roaming all around her as she plastered kiss after kiss on her bare skin as her silk dress fell off her body.

It was at that moment, the most inconsiderate moment that a snitch like device beeped and Amelie stilled, her lips still planted on Lyra's body though unmoving until she snatched the snitch with a blur of movement out of the air.

Lyra shook her head clear of the daze and saw Amelie wear a serious expression as she opened up her palm, the snitch sitting in the centre of her hand until it began to emit a holograph message with a raven forming…a raven that seemed to fly around in a pattern… that almost looked like the infinity symbol.

"Black Bird Blowback" the raven crowed, once, then once more before it seemed to explode and the snitch fizzled out in Amelie's hand.

Amelie looked up and Lyra recognised that look, much to her displeasure.

Lyra's face set in a grim expression. "You only just got back" she said with displeasure as she flicked her wand, her silken dress wrapping around her.

"I know…" Amelie said apologetically. "But it's…"

"Yes…I know…" Lyra cut her off tiresomely as she walked around Amelie and sat at the dining table and grabbed a plate of pancakes and dug in.

Duty called and Amelie would always do her duty.

Amelie sat across her and Lyra pointedly didn't look at her. "They could have waited until after we got lucky" Lyra groused as she stabbed at her pancake.

Amelie laughed at that and said "Who says that we still can't do that?" she posed to Lyra who glanced up at her. Amelie raised her brow questioningly.

Lyra pursed her lips and after a moment nodded "Fine but first I will finish this banana cheesecake flavoured pancakes" she said in an imperious tone.

"As my queen commands…" Amelie said in a soft animalistic growl which only sparked up that arousal within her.

She ate her pancakes very quickly at that point.

Hours later…

They walked out of their home, onto the smooth pavement stone with arms locked. Their home was on the 'beach front' of the first ring of water facing Mount Celestis. It was a grand vision to see on a morning, stepping down the steps of their home only to be greeted by an imperious, snow topped mountain.

A blurring motion she noticed in the corner of her eyes drew her attentions and looked up into that direction. A few skymobiles were going fast…faster than she thought was allowed and she'd been proven right as one of the Pursuer Drones chased after the skymobiles.

She shook her head exasperated. 'Idiots' she thought to herself. She knew it was likely a few too excited idiots taking the skymobiles on a 'joy ride' all because it was different and new.

"Remember to vote in the first ever elections!" she heard someone holler and she glanced towards the man who stood on the podium with his wand on his throat.

"History will be made come November with the first Representatives of Illos chosen by its citizens so don't forget to come to the Assembly hall and cast your vote!" she heard him holler in the distance and saw that he was attracting quite a crowd.

"I doubt anyone has forgotten, not when he's reminding people despite it being almost half a year away" Amelie said dryly and Lyra smiled as she looked at her.

"True but you can forgive his excitement" she said easily. "I admit I'm quite excited myself to vote."

After all, it would be the first time the citizens of Illos would get to cast their vote picking their Representative.

Amelie looked at her curiously before she nodded with a huff "Same…I just hope that Smith-Rowe isn't our borough's Representative" she muttered to herself.

Lyra laughed "You just dislike because he ruined your flower pots with his experiment"

Amelie looked at her with displeasure shining through her face "There was no reason for him to try that experiment away from the Labs! There is a reason why we have Labs in the first place!"

Lyra shook her head with mirth painted across her face. "You can't be petty Amelie, you know that he's the kind of character that listens to the people he'd represent." She tapped Amelie's arm "You know he'd do a great job…better than that sleaze ball Rowan" Lyra said with a scowl.

Amelie sighed "I know…It was just my most successful nurturing yet and I haven't been able to get nearly as good crop of flowers like last time" she groused.

Amelie continued to complain though she tuned it out a little as she thought on the coming elections.

It had been something that many people had wanted, ever since Lord Sayre had ironically sold them on the idea of a Representative Council and finally, after almost two years, the first Council would be voted into office.

The people of Illos were still very few, only roughly nine thousand people but almost everyone wanted it to be established, if only to help Lord Sayre with the functions of running their home.

He would still be largely in charge but the minutiae of Illos would be dealt by the Representative Council leaving Lord Sayre to deal with the pressing issues…namely the ever reaching search conducted by the ICW which tasked itself to find them.

Most people were very concerned with how the Magical World would react once they knew of Illos, especially after the way they had attacked Lord Sayre and his family before they left Magical Britain.

Yes, she agreed, it was better for Lord Sayre to focus on that issue and leave the running of Illos to the Representatives.

A little while later, they came across some of their neighbours who greeted them, most of them recent graduates of the Seshet Institute of Science and Magic or graduates of the Pandrosion Institute, people who were still awed by the marvel that was Illos.

Lyra smiled humorously "Merlin, some of them still have that dazed look despite being here for months" she exclaimed "We were never this bad!" she said to Amelie who began to giggle slightly.

"Really…" Amelie said sceptically, her brow raised questioningly "I remember things quite differently…to the point that I'm quite sure you were much worse than these young ones were" she glanced at Lyra slyly "You were not unlike a child in Parisian Chocatia, hopped up on the special chocolate frogs"

Lyra drew back from Amelie, offense written on her face "That is not true!" she exclaimed, causing Amelie to giggle even louder.

"Oh, it is so true!" Amelie said with a haltering breath as she smiled at Lyra "c'était si Glorieux" she said with ridiculous gestures "You couldn't stop asking questions with crazy eyes!" she made a mimicking gesture as she flailed her head around from side to side "Where does this go, how was this made, how deep does this go" Amelie rattled off in what she assumed was an attempt to mock her Kentish accent "I can even remember that rather curious incident in the Lonis Forests…"

Lyra's hands clasped onto Amelie's mouth with panicked eyes when a couple of people were within hearing distance. "Alright, Alright, you win, I was as excited as these kids are" she groused.

Amelie peeled Lyra's hands off of her mouth, showing off a sharp grin before she hooked her arm around Lyra's arm and they continued to walk "It was kind of adorable, I have to admit" Amelie said a little softer, her eyes glancing at Lyra with love her eyes.

Lyra couldn't help but smiled as she brought Amelie's hand to her lips and kissed it gently before they continued their walk along the waters.

She smiled contently as they walked in silence, in each other's company until her mind inevitably went back to the message Amelie had received.

"When do you leave?" she asked with a glance at Amelie as they walked along the pathway that overlooked the clear blue waters.

Amelie raised her arm, the silver armband came to life with lights. She seemed to tapped on it and frowned slightly before she looked up and glanced at Lyra for a brief moment before she looked away.

"In nine hours." She said to Lyra though she kept her eyes firmly at the front.

"So soon…" Lyra murmured with a sigh. She knew better than to ask for how long.

'As long as it takes…' she would say…what she would always say.

She hated it when she left each time, even after all of these years.

She knew it was ridiculous, knowing that Amelie likely was one of the strongest beings around but she couldn't help feel so…protective over her…especially after what it took to return her mind to a semblance of what it was before she was…changed.

Rebuilding Amelie's psyche had taken more than eight months with another eleven needed for her to acclimate herself to her new…vampiric hybrid nature whilst all the same dealing with the traumatic experiences she'd suffered at the hands of Grindelwald and those who had experimented on her.

Amelie had grown stronger all for it and it was a miracle, really, that she was as well adjusted as she was, despite the horrors she's experienced.

But…she knew Amelie was still damaged in many ways, in ways that she did not think she'd ever truly heal completely from.

One of the things that had always attracted her to Amelie had been her strong sense of justice even if it had infuriated her when she had always argued for humanely bringing back monsters to be judged for their crimes rather than killing them in battle and without mercy.

Something that had been warped in the aftermath of her ordeal. She still believed in justice…in never becoming the very monsters that had nearly destroyed her but…

She no longer held an ounce of mercy for enemies.

Enemies of Lyra, enemies of Amelie and…enemies of Lord Sayre and that of Illos.

Lord Sayre had been the person who had personally rebuilt her psyche, and he knew intimately the trauma she'd experienced having experienced it just as Amelie experienced it all over again as they rebuilt her mind.

He knew her better than Lyra did…he likely even knew Amelie better than she herself did. He stopped her from going on a murderous rampage when she had fallen into one of her conditioned states, states that had to be carved out of her mind, states that were programmed instructions that been seared into her mind by Grindelwald and De Galle.

She shivered at the thought of the violation Amelie had suffered and she knew Amelie was stronger than she would have ever been.

As a consequence of his actions, it created a bond between Amelie and Lord Sayre, one that forever gave Lord Sayre her unconditional loyalty.

A loyalty that went far far deeper than the one that Lyra held for Lord Sayre.

It was that loyalty after she'd recovered, that inspired her to decide she to enlist in the Illosian Guards though her unique attributes, her inhuman speeds, her abilities to almost go completely unnoticed at night and her reflexes that even exceeded Lord Sayre's reflexes, marked her as a perfect candidate for a special branch within the O.I., the Office of Intelligence, the department that Parelius Parkinson headed and the same office she was part of herself.

A special branch she knew little off despite her seniority within the O.I. and one that Amelie never told her about.

She had an idea of what it was though…of what it entailed and it left her afraid for Amelie.

It seemed like she noticed her heightened emotions, her acute senses, her nose was able to sense the slight changes in pheromones whilst her ears likely heard the slight change in heartbeats.

She met Lyra's gaze as she pulled her in a little closer "I'll be fine" Amelie soothed, her blood red eyes that were tinged with browns bore down at her.

Lyra smiled "I know" she said as she stroked the cheek of her lover. "Just…" she sighed breathlessly "Don't lose yourself, alright?" she said with a fixed smile, her memories of a tense Amelie had sprung in her mind.

She'd been high wrung, almost feral in some ways when she'd returned. It had taken a few days for her to relax back to normal. It didn't help that Amelie wasn't allowed to speak of it.

"I won't" she promised as she leaned forward and kissed her on the lips.

"Good" she said with a sigh before she glanced away from Amelie.

Though they worked in the same Office, she knew they both did very different things.

Her own work in the O.I. was focused on surveillance on those who already were brought into the secret of Illos and to ensure the recruited individuals from SIMS or other places continued to have a presence of some kind in the magical world.

The ICW and the Ministries would notice the disappearance of highly capable wizards and witches and the last thing they needed was the ICW to keep an even closer eye on SIMS.

For the moment most graduates of SIMS had to alternate working in Ireland or in MACUSA in order to keep up appearances.

It was a tiresome job, arranging it all and it was becoming ever clearer that the secret would not hold for more than a few years from now.

The network of people who knew…the near obsession the ICW had with finding Lord Sayre and their people…

She only hoped that by that time they were ready.

Amelie likely worked on that…to ensure that they were as protected as possible until the time of Reveal had arrived.

She knew that it likely involved clandestine actions…likely murder but she also knew that Amelie would not kill innocents.

Though…

She thought as she glanced around, her eyes falling on the three Solar Orbs that hung in the sky before she looked into the horizon…

What she also knew was that Amelie would do anything to protect what she held dear and there were exactly three things she cared about.

That single mindedness was dangerous and, unfortunately, it was something that Amelie did not understand, not truly. Her nature allowed her to feel emotions since she'd retained her soul but…

She was still a predator at her core, one that could only truly care for a few things, things and people she considered hers.

And, a creeping thought in her mind voiced out, perhaps that was why she was the best for dealing with enemies that sought to harm Illos in one way or another.

-Break-

26th of June 1952 - Illos

Jennifer Pierce POV

She leaned against the pillar, her eyes focused on Lord Sayre who entertained a large group of four year olds with Mount Celestis in the background. The mountain laid north and north east of the city with much of the lands between the mountain and the city reserved for primary educational institutions and residential homes away from the city proper.

She wasn't here often, this side of the city, as it was the residential zone mostly occupied by families and vassal houses sworn to Lord Sayre himself.

It was almost a town onto itself now with the bulk of the population living here though she expected that to change in the next decade or so as the younger generation grew up and accepted one of the many positions available in Illos, opting to reside in the city proper.

She watched with a slight smile as the children of such different backgrounds play and laugh together unknowing of the kind of prejudice that plagued outside of the high walls of Illos.

Many of these children were orphans from the third world, some even from the communist countries, that were saved from a very young age with some having been less than a year old.

These children had been adopted by childless mothers who loved them as their own and grew to large families, sometimes even a dozen children were adopted by a single mother, with children who could hail ethnically from Papa New Guinea to Uruguay to Vietnam to Eritrea to even from Serbia.

She watched the intermingled children with a curious gaze.

It was a strange thing to see, orphaned children descended likely from squibs mingling with children of pureblood or half-blood origin without any issue, a possibility that seemed to be unlikely if this had been anywhere in Europe.

The likelihood of lifelong friendship despite all of their different backgrounds seemed high by the time they'd all graduate from the Pandrosion Institute.

It gave her hope that perhaps the Magical World was not fated to cling onto self-destructive notions, that change was possible and that it just needed the right people.

Her eyes darkened, her lips tightened as her mind returned to a time of lost opportunities, a time of betrayal, one which aggrieved her – and many others – on his behalf.

This…This could have been Britain but instead they rejected his ideas, his compassion and his words as they clung ever tighter on notions of the past, on power and obsession of purity rather than a golden age for all of magicalkind regardless of where you came from.

But…

Not everyone rejected him, not everyone forgot who he was and what he'd done for them and when Lord left Magical Britain, infamously, he was not alone.

Thousands of magicals and their families also left with him after he'd declared he'd find a place where 'greed would not triumph over prosperity for all'.

Hedge witches and wizards, common purebloods and half-bloods, even some Noble families all across Britain and Ireland left their home of centuries and came to Illos with everything they had, all because they had seen the effort he'd put in to make their lives better.

Tax reductions of farm homesteads of hedge witches and wizards which often stymied them heavily, social programs that alleviated the financial strains poor pureblood families had been under, funded out of Lord own pockets…

People noticed his efforts, his attempts and for the first time they'd seen someone care for them and that goodwill was what caused many of them to keep faith in Lord Sayre and join him in exile.

The magical raised were not the only ones that decided to join him either as many muggleborns and squibs who worked for Lord Sayre decided to join him.

It had been a shock to the Ministry that so many people could choose to leave their home nations but it shouldn't have been.

They had forgotten the kind of man Lord Sayre could be, the kind of man that could draw people from all walks of life to him through his authoritative presence, his entreating words…though…perhaps it was wrong to say they had forgotten and righter to say they chose to ignore it because of their spiteful and fearful arrogance

He reminded them of exactly how much people had faith in him as over four thousand people left the isles to destinations unknown to the Magical World even to this day.

She watched he sat perched on a small rock, surrounded by children whilst he weaved a wondrous tale, one spun with animate creations, animate gestures and an animate performance, Chinese Serpent Dragons swam around the giggling children, joyous and captivated by the magic and by the story itself.

Jennifer couldn't help but smile at the sight, the way the children responded to him and how he in turn responded to them.

They knew nothing of who he was, the things he was capable of…unaware of the simple fact that he and his wife built the very earth they walked on with nothing but magic.

And he seemed to relish in that obscurity, teaching them as he played with them, spinning a wild tale as he made dragons dance around the children.

It reminded her of when he'd taught her at Hogwarts, when he made magic seem so much fun with little effort.

He'd make a wonderful father she mused to herself.

"Wonderful isn't it?" she heard someone say next to her. She turned to the voice and saw it was the children's teacher, Ms Florence.

She looked like she was in her mid-thirties with light brown hair and light blue eyes yet she likely was in her late forties perhaps early fifties from the way her eyes seemed to shine with patience that only came with age and experience.

Ms Florence smiled at her kindly before she looked back at the children "Though I'd say it's more of a wonder they've behaved for so long." She said in a smile in her voice.

"I suppose that's his draw" Jennifer said with a fond smile before she also looked at the children. Even children seemed to be captivated by him.

"Yes, Lord Sayre does have that quality about him. So does Lady Slytherin-Sayre" Ms Florence commented idly, her subtle eyes glancing at her.

Jennifer remained quiet to that, preferring to watch Lord Sayre continue his tale, a tale he narrated and enthused in Latin whilst he entertained them with the conjurations.

"Are they already proficient in Latin?" she asked the older woman.

"They are well within the expected bands of proficiency for their age group" Ms Florence confirmed "Most of the children also speak it as their first language so they tend to be a little better at it"

"The Clan Families?" she guessed and Ms Florence nodded.

The Clan Families were what most migrants to Illos had taken to call the orphans that were raised by single mothers. The children would take the names of their mother as their clan name to honour them.

"Yes, the Clan Families though from what I have been able to tell from the other parents, the languages spoken at home at the more…traditional families…tends to now be a mixture of English and Latin"

"It's a little the same back in the City" she admitted. It was something she was beginning to notice…a lot more Latin creeped in – more than the Latin that was already in the English Language that is – in daily conversations and she knew it would only increase.

Lord Sayre wanted Latin to become everyone's first language mostly because of how their modern spells were cast in bastard Latin.

To speak the language in which they cast their magic in theory would allow them better connection to magic itself, a notion that several research findings supported.

And she was seeing perhaps some of that truth play out right before her.

She watched as children began to deliberately change the colours of the dragons, making it into a game where battles were fought on who could change what the longest. Some precocious children were able to change the colour of conjured dragons with a variety of colours and shapes.

She marvelled at their abilities at wandless magic at this tender age. She remembered all too well when they'd spent over a week trying to learn how to perform that feat in their first year with a wand.

She glanced at the older woman "Does it ever surprise you?" she asked of the teacher. "That these children are able to do what many others would find near impossible for adults?"

The woman shifted slightly, her head tilted slightly towards Jennifer though she kept a careful watch over the excited children.

"Not as much as it should have" Ms Florence admitted "Though what really surprises me is how effortless it seems" she said with a soft laugh "At least to them and the other children raised in Illos" She said with a hum.

"Really?" Jennifer asked curiously. "It's not just this class?" There were six different primary schools, capped at 20 children per class group with two or three class groups in each age group.

They attended primary from the age of four to ten and from what she saw, there were at least plans to expand the class groups per school and to increase the number of schools in the next six to ten years as the population of Illos grew.

The older woman glanced at Jennifer and nodded "Really, it's almost completely across the board, at least those that have magic." The older woman said musingly "I never expected the simplicity of what the children were being taught about magic could cause near universal success in nearly all of the children despite it being clear some are more talented than others."

Jennifer looked on thoughtfully on that. The Seshet Institute of Magic made many strides towards understanding magic and she'd gone to several seminars on the nature of Magic when Lord Sayre or Perenelle Flamel or other guest speakers would speak of their understandings of magic.

Much of it hinted towards wandless magic being the final destination for all of magicalkind, Lord Sayre's famous feats of wandless magic was seen as proof of it.

She peered at the children.

Perhaps that era was nearer by than any of them thought.

"Though I'm not overly surprised that it's working as well as it is" Jennifer glanced at the older woman and saw she held a small smile, that almost seemed proud. "Lord Sayre always did have a keen understanding of magic, even as a small child no older than the ones he is entertaining now."

Jennifer's eyebrows rose. "You knew him as a child?" she asked in surprise.

The older woman laughed gently as she spied at Jennifer "I knew him since he was born. I was the Governess of the Sayre household after all." She told Jennifer before she looked back at the children.

She hadn't expected that at all.

"What was he like?" she asked, intense curiosity burning within her.

The older woman thought it over, seeming to mull over on how to explain.

She seemed to settle on something "Precocious." She said finally "It was apparent even then that he'd do something great though I never expected" she glanced upwards, her eyes staring towards the Mountain top "this." She finished.

She doubted many would have expected anything like this let alone think it was even possible. She'd seen the outside surface of Illos, hanging over a swathe of land and water, silver grey metal seemingly stretching endlessly into the distance.

Magic truly was infinitely capable of anything.

Speaking of magic…

"What about the children that don't have…" Jennifer trailed off for a moment "magic? How are they in class?" she knew that magic wasn't the only thing that was taught at all levels of education within Illos but she wondered how things were.

There weren't many squib children but there were still a few.

"The Dormants?" Ms Florence kindly said before she let a light frown cross her face as she seemed to ponder the question "Things are certainly better than they could be" she said finally after a moment of pause. "It's not easy on them to be…different to others but there are efforts made to ensure that they feel included. Just because they cannot do active magic does not mean they aren't magical."

"The children are taught very early that everyone in Illos is Illosian, that everyone belongs here including the Dormant Magicals. The fact that Illosian law makes it very clear the consequences of mistreating children has made families from the British Isles and elsewhere careful in ensuring they do not ostracise their children." Ms Florence paused for a moment.

"Habits ingrained from an early age are difficult to overcome but it is slowly changing, especially given that many Dormants are exceeding in branches like Runes and Arithmancy. Plus, it does help that families now understand that the chances of having magical grandchildren is exceedingly high since blood doesn't change." she finished.

Jennifer nodded.

The research that had been posted in that infamous book had specified it as much. That squibs…Dormants, had nearly just as much magic in their blood as magicals.

Some of the research that was being conducted on Illos was geared towards curing the defective 'genetic strands' that disabled magic from manifesting outward.

It was perhaps twenty minutes later that Lord Sayre was finished, much to the dismay of the children yet they seemed happy enough when one of them extracted a promise from him to visit them again.

He walked up to her and his expression shifted into one of command "Shall we?" he said gesturing towards the door and she nodded. "I take it they've arrived?" he asked her.

"Yes sir, they have. They'll be waiting on us at the High Assembly Chamber soon." She told him and he only hummed in response, seemingly deep in thought as they walked out.

It was not surprising to see him thinking deeply on it, on the coming talks. It was an important day for Illos, one that would begin its connection with the rest of the Magical World.

What did surprise her was why he took continued to take the time to visit schools every now and then, even now when he had an important meeting to prepare for.

He hadn't spent much time at all preparing for this meeting as far as she knew and it was something that had concerned her.

It must have been apparent on her face as he spoke up "You're concerned" he simply stated, the smooth surface of his face unwrinkled and set in a way that almost seemed to appear as if he were judging her.

It startled her but she quickly regained composure as they walked through the halls of the primary school and her lips came undone "I am. I just thought…this visit could have been done after rather than now" She said, her words carrying obvious questions.

"You think that I should have prepared more?" he asked with a knowing tone.

She almost withdrew into herself, knowing the faux pas she committed. Who was she to judge him! She chastised herself.

"I could have prepared like you think I should have" he said finally and before she could fumble words out of her big mouth he continued

"It is an important day for our people after all, one that would prepare us back into the wider world with allies at our backs" he said in a musing tone as he placed his arms behind his back.

"Perhaps I should have spent hours, days, weeks secluded and working away at the proposals that would bind them to our home" he said in a musing tone as he looked at her, his striking eyes seemed to bore through her for a brief moment.

"But…" he said his voice slightly trailing off as his eyes drifted away from her face as they continued to walk towards the exit of the school.

"In this instance, I'm quite certain such preparation was and is not needed" He said in a patient tone, one that was without reproach as he glanced at her, sharpened lips stretched as he stared at her with a soul stripping gaze, one that she could help but meet despite the intensity of his gaze.

"Trade or deals are not what will seal this alliance, not at this moment. No…It is reaching an understanding that will permit or destroy whatever future theirs and our people will have together. Trade and so on comes after but first…first what is needed is to understand if the potential of commonality exists between our peoples." He paused for a moment before he continued "This meeting is to find that out, I suspect, for them as well as for us." He said before a silence seemed to stretch as he looked away from her.

She sucked in a silent breath as she thought on it. "A fact finding mission?"

He hummed in agreement "Something like that" he said though there was much more left unspoken, she knew but she didn't pry this time not when her mind was preoccupied with a curious thought.

She wondered if coming to this school meant more to him...as if it was a reminder of what Illos represented. Perhaps it was that kind of commonality he was seeking to establish with the delegates…

Equals amongst many…

Soon enough, they were out of the school, one that had plenty of Grecian influence, open to the environment, lots of ornate pillars with roofs that were angled just the right way that allowed for much of the light from the Sun Orbs to pass through the building.

They walked down the stairs as they exited the main doors to the school and Lord Sayre spoke up "You brought the Mercury." he said with a curious lilt to his voice.

She faltered in her step a little as she looked to him "I did. I thought you might want to take a scenic route rather than a portkey especially since we have a little time to spare as Parkinson is taking them on a small tour." She said a little nervously as he gazed at her "But I have one on me if-" he raised his hand.

"The Mercury is fine" he said with a slight smile before he looked away from her towards the Skymobile "Once a while I do quite enjoy riding one, especially as Celestis City grows" he said with approval in his voice, one that she couldn't help but smile in response to.

The city was beautiful to behold, especially from above.

There were only a few ways to travel quickly in Illos proper – Skymobiles, Restricted Portkeys that only the Office of Transportation could create and through the Gate Network that was still in its infancy. Apparition was impossible under the complex interwoven wards of Illos which only had very few ports that allowed such travel.

There were plans to allow apparition to work in the wilder regions of Illos but that was a few years down the line. Floo Travel was banned for the foreseeable future, likely until the research project paid any dividends.

They treaded down from the final step and towards the Skymobile.

The white silver Skymobile was sleek with curves that grew from the flatter front of the vehicle. It was graceful, the way the curves grew in a formless, lineless way, like it was grown from a single seed. The windows were nearly made out of a single transparent plane of flexible glass that wrapped itself around the midsection of the Skymobile, alchemically made glass that did not shatter or break.

There were no wheels, not like any muggle car and instead had long oval shaped forms almost slot shaped, one on either side, that stretched nearly the length of the Skymobile. It was mostly for aesthetic needs as much of the magical enchantments that made it possible was inscribed within the craft itself.

From what she knew, it was very likely that was how it was manufactured.

She flicked out her wand and the tip lit up a dim glow before the doors facing them opened up.

They got in the back of the Skymobile, the spatially expanded back carriage was big enough to fit twelve individuals when it looked like it could carry no more than four and she pressed the tip of her wand on the slot by her side of the carriage.

The Skymobile began to ascend and flew at a steady pace towards their destination, the mental directions she'd given through her magic was all it needed.

It was kind of like how low level intelligence was enchanted in objects like the Sorting Hat of Hogwarts.

They banked slightly as the Skymobile shifted towards the heart of the city, towards the main tower. She stared out of the window, gazing down on Celestis City.

Even now, even as incomplete as it stood, it was a jewel unlike anything she'd seen before. Silver white stoned buildings untarnished, unblemished, rose amongst a ringed sea of clear blue waters that held an unnatural purity. Golden statues of winged magical creatures topped the domed buildings and pillars that dotted the skyline of the city as dozens of waterfalls fell silently all around the central part of the city.

It was a shame that there were not enough people to populate the city though that would come, with time.

There were only nine thousand or so citizens of Illos with half of the population younger than eighteen. Most of those thousands resided in the residential zone just outside the city whilst most of the younger adults without families resided in the First South Western Arc Sector in apartments and homes that were by the Main Tower which was for the most part complete.

More and more were coming, some of them graduates from the Seshet Institute of Magic and Science, though the requisites were stringent and firm just as the requirements of citizenry was.

Oaths were required, special oaths that bound family lines to the ideals that were fostered in Illos and they had to turn away many people including a number of families when they'd refused after obtaining oaths of silences.

There would be no exception. She believed in the dream that Illos represented and the oaths made sure that they were kept to it.

It helped that most of the newcomers were children found in the muggle world, more than a half each year being orphans under the age of five with most tending to be under the age of two, who could be taught the ways of Illos without the ingrained stigma of either the muggle or magical world that would have to be whittled away.

It had been a shock for her to learn a few years ago that even children that young could have accidental magic and that Lord Sayre could find incidents of accidental magic anywhere in the muggle world.

She hadn't been sure what to think of that, only that it unsettled her knowing that Illos could find any magical that resided in unwarded homes.

She learnt soon enough though that it was for the best.

She'd learnt over the years about the unmonitored regions where effectively there was little done to monitor the integrity of the Statute of Secrecy and where many children fell to the cracks.

She'd been told by some of the Illosian Guards that some of the older children they'd gone to see if they were safe had been nearly been killed because of their magic.

And sometimes…sometimes they were too late.

It was not always like that. There were endeavours and opportunities for accepting parents of magical children to move into the West and the majority took them yet it wasn't a huge majority.

Many of Lord Sayre's muggle companies were huge successes, his shipping, manufacturing and technology companies based in the US, Canada and Australia were amongst the leaders of their industries in their respective countries.

After the parents and children signed tight magically bound Non-Disclosure Agreements, once they were informed and accepting of magic, they were granted an opportunity to move to their favoured destination with their children offered a multitude of educational opportunities with the Pandrosion Institute as an option.

Once the parents had been told of what the Pandrosion Institute and the opportunity it presented after visiting Illos, something that truly sold them on the wonder of magic, most of their children enrolled there once they were ten years of age.

She couldn't blame them, not after having seen the school. Hogwarts would always have a majesty to it, an old presence that was humbling, but the Pandrosion Institute?

It was a marvel of a school.

Unfortunately, there were some parents that refused the opportunities provided and worse, refused the opportunity it represented for their children because of religion and/or cultural stigma.

At this stage, things would become difficult.

Untrained magical children were a danger to all yet they could not be forced to learn it. Many of these children opted to follow their parents' wishes and would subsequently be obliviated along with their parents before their magic was bound and left in peace.

It was a difficult thing to do, to deny a child their rightful inheritance that they truly did not understand rejecting at such a tender age but it was their and their parents' choice.

Some had to be rescued from their parents, children who bore the hallmarks of abuse and later confirmed after investigation. These children flourished in a caring environment after exiting a toxic one and were often those who become truly immersed in the Illosian society that was beginning to form.

A few of these children had to be carefully handled, needing to see mind healers on a weekly basis to ensure they were not a danger to themselves and to others but eventually they also adapted to their new homes.

They passed the second ring of water and the Main Tower was growing ever larger in view and they began descending towards the landing pad by the main entrance though not before passing by what she thought was likely the most beautiful building in all of Illos, one that enticed many parents to send their children there.

She must have smiled unconsciously as Lord Sayre began to chuckle next to her and she turned to him and saw him look at her with a hint of amusement in his vibrant eyes.

"I feel the same way when I see her too." He said before glancing towards the building and she followed suit.

Made out of crystalline stones, nestled in between a rising skyline of a growing, beautiful city, the Pandrosion Institute shone like a beacon, as if it was an enticing oasis amidst the taller and bigger buildings that surrounded the school.

A building that seemed to have been carved out of a single block of crystalline like stone that had spiralling towers, arching bridges and an angular domed central building that spoke of prestige and where resided a nurturing presence of magic within the halls of the school that could be felt on the very surface of the skin.

The subjects that were taught at the school were incredibly diverse and rich, muggle sciences, muggle and magical philosophies, art, mathematics and of course a wide array of magical branches, all of which made the school likely the best secondary school in the world.

The professors were all those who had at least studied one subject at Seshet Institute of Magic and Science and had honed their skills after learning from memory crystals taken from highly successful professors from prestigious private schools in Britain and the US.

The Pandrosion Institute simply outshone Hogwarts in her opinion, a feat she never thought possible.

"Emily really outdid herself when she built it" he said with a fond slant in his tone and she only nodded in agreement. Lady Slytherin-Sayre had succeeded outshining her ancestor's achievements. Not that it wasn't evident anyway with what she did with Illos or the many achievements she was known for in the Magical World.

They landed not long after they passed by the Institute and walked into the central hallway of the Main Tower.

It was an imposing building, one that could be seen for miles away. Only Mount Celestis was taller and larger.

The Illosian guards stood to attention as they saluted Lord Sayre and he nodded to them as they passed through the high and wide pathway that was flanked with imposing pillars that were connected to pillars on the opposite side with arched stones that marked out the high ceilings.

The Main Tower was the very heart of Illos, all of its governing functions were centred here.

The Offices of Responsibility, those like the Office of Transportation, Office of Justice, Office of Economics, Office of Education, Office of Environment and so on were all responsible of different functions within Illos. All employees of their respective Offices had to be specifically trained in the roles they took on. Overseers headed the respective Offices and were elected every seven years by those qualified in their fields which ensured that the person in charge was competent, had interpersonal skills and knew the position wasn't their own personal fiefdom.

There were not many people who could immediately fill the position given the stringent requirements of competency and so they had to learn whilst they were in the role once they were determined to be capable of succeeding.

It helped that Knowledge and Memory Crystals were able to transfer a wealth of knowledge to the user though they still were required to exercise their minds to ensure they understood what they had received in the form of formal assessments.

Dual Masteries were required to be achieved, one that was focused in being disciplined in both muggle and magical branches relevant to your position like for example Herbology and Agriculture for a position in the Office of Agriculture.

Hedge witches and wizards who came from a farming background predominantly filled those positions and most thrived in those positions with the magical and technological aid that was given.

They worked with the Offices of Environment, Magical Innovation and Technology to build the agricultural sectors that was located several miles from Celestis City with green house buildings that were spatially expanded at least a dozen times.

These were what fed Illos, tens of thousands of acres of farmland that grew hundreds of vegetables and fruits whilst it also kept livestock and their feed contained in several dozen buildings that occupied little land.

The Office of Environment were responsible for ecological balance hence why they worked with Agriculture but they were also responsible for the weather system, maintaining and improving upon the enchantments that covered all of Illos, the enchantments that mimicked seasonal changes in temperatures, that created the circulation of breezes, ones that would circulate fresh air and also allow seeds from plants and trees to be carried in a controlled fashion to specific destinations through a complex array of fabricated air currents.

She'd worked somewhat on it, courtesy in her own speciality in Charms thanks to her apprenticeship with Professor Fawley before later studying meteorology at SIMS though her talents lied more in her attention to detail.

It was why she was working as a coordinator under the supervision of the High Council with the various different groups that were working on Illos…

From building the agricultural sectors that were centred several miles south from Celestis City to building kilometre wide habitat domes for the muggle and magical creatures with the Offices of Animal Welfare, Technology and M.I. at and along the Rim of Illos that were going be spacially expanded almost thirty fold to building the Technology and Magic Centre five miles west from the city where most of the research facilities of state sponsored projects would be located.

It was a huge undertaking one that kept her on her toes and required her to know, intimately, all the different projects that were happening, a daunting prospect.

Yet, she still managed to…manage and over the last couple of years, now, at the age 26, she was one most senior individuals in Illos, a place of wonder and awe that she'd dreamed about when she'd been introduced to magic.

Not bad for muggleborn lass.

They walked through the restricted section of the Main Tower, one that was separate from the way to the Offices of Responsibility, escorted through by the few patrolling Illosian Guards as people came and went passing them by though not before bowing their heads, as always, to Lord Sayre.

They arrived at the central plaza that led to elevators to the three different Council Assemblies; The Representative Council, The Magical Council and the High Council.

The Representative Council, the legislative body of government that represented the electorate, created laws and oversaw the government via hearings and inquiries was located on the eleventh floor of this monolithic building.

It would be elected for the first time come November and she was quite excited about it.

The Magical Council represented sentient magical races and served to ensure the rights of each race whilst also ensuring that relations between the races were at least amicable. Whilst the Representative Council was not intended to for humans alone, it was obvious that population wise, magical humans were far more numerous than others and so the Magical Council was a check to ensure radical ideas did not permeate through Illos.

For the moment, this Council was not active, simply for the fact that there were only humans – and elves – based in Illos at this moment.

The High Council was the final council and the one that was responsible for the direction of the nation, an overarching direction that ensured that the Representative Council was limited in political power by holding it accountable if they deviate from the Constitution or the Spirit that governed Illos.

This Council was headed Lord Sayre and his wife, some said it was akin to a royal court and in truth, in many ways, it was not wrong.

Illos belonged Lord Sayre and his wife by law and by act. Land had to be purchased from the High Council and whilst homes were permanently transferred without fee to citizens at present, the land they stood on still belonged to Lord Sayre and Lady Slytherin-Sayre and were simply 'leased' for the duration of their lifespan.

It was a contentious point but one she did not think would change for the foreseeable future despite Chancellor Sandra Saunders' arguments.

They arrived at the elevator that led to the High Council Assembly Chambers and after the wards verified who they were, the doors opened and they stepped into it.

It was a little heady, even after all these years, to see how magic was integrated into the very structures of everything in Illos.

The elevator, with a soundless, near perfect movement, began its ascend.

"How are people finding the news of the coming talks?" Lord Sayre broke the silence, almost startling her.

She peered at him and saw him gazing at her with a curious expression on her face.

She frowned a little as she thought on it. Her role as coordinator allowed her interaction with many other departments, especially when the Representative Council only had a few members at this moment. Eventually the High Council was meant to only be involved from a distance rather than intimately like it was now.

"Well…" she began as she sorted out what to say "Most are hopeful that the talks succeed." She said as she looked at him "But I think many are unsure about whether we're ready yet to be interacting with the rest of the Magical World." Her frowned deepened a little.

She didn't disagree with the general sentiment either though she suspected that people were a little fearful what might happen if they should discover the treasure that was Illos when they were still so few.

The loyalty and faith in Lord Sayre and his wife was total, she knew that, but many people were unsure if even he with all of his powers could protect their home against the rest of the Magical World should they finally find Illos.

It all stemmed from the events that led to Lord Sayre's departure of Magical Britain.

After Spencer-Moon had been voted out of office in late 1944, the Ministry under Minister Norton over time had grown combative, hostile even to Lord Sayre and his Party with support from the Traditionalist and Progressive factions.

For the first year after the defeat of Grindelwald, Lord Sayre had insurmountable influence in Magical Britain, using his position and untouchable status that came with defeating Grindelwald to campaign for better rights and protections for the more forgotten parts of magical society with little resistance, something that many Lords within the Wizengamot resented and it reflected as Minister Norton had been elected with heavy backing from the McKinnon and Black alliance.

Relations between the Ministry and Lord Sayre and his allies begun to worsen after The Truth about The Returnees and the Lie of being Muggle Borne was released, written by Lord Sayre and Lady Slytherin-Sayre in 1945, something that highly divided magical society to the point that it was banned in many European countries, Magical Britain included later in 1949.

He'd been accused of destabilising Magical Britain and with the economic grip the Sayre family held on Magical Britain, the envious Lords of the Wizengamot had started to fear him for more than just his magical power especially after the very noticeable popularity he had with the common people of Magical Britain.

Comparisons were whispered that he was like Grindelwald, seeking to destroy the Magical World with radical ideas, something that unfortunately a significant portion of the public seemed to believe despite everything he had done for them.

A betrayal of their champion, someone they had professed to have seen as their hero yet the moment they heard rumours that ran contrary to everything they knew of him, they latched onto it anyway, choosing to believe the lies the very nobles that intended to ensure they were kept as powerless and as divided as possible instead of someone who had sought to better their lives.

At the beginning it had not been so. The public had adored him and seen him not unlike a messiah.

Lord Sayre had been seen as an engine of change, his companies acted as his long reaching hands as new sectors centred on new forms of services, entertainment and magical goods were created, sectors that Sayre Corporation and its subsidiaries dominated on both sides of the Atlantic.

It made the Sayre family even wealthier than they were and even more popular as goods such as Mirror Phones and Reader Tablets – basic versions of the Uni-Library Tablets that encompassed entire libraries of magical and scientific knowledge available to Illosian Citizens – became staple goods to have in magical households.

Entertainment products such as creative board games such as Monopoly and Battle Brooms brought a new dimension to entertainment outside of wizarding chess though never to the scale that M-Vision managed to touch every facet of magical society.

M-Vision allowed you to watch Vratsa Vultures play live in the Bulgarian Quidditch League or Newt Scamander speak about magical creatures in documentaries or even watch the news all in the comforts of your home for a paltry sum of three galleons a month.

All of this contributed to a growing block of alliances that stretched beyond the shores of Magical Britain and wished to curtail if not halt completely the growing influence of the Sayre family that ate away at their power and social structures.

A block of alliances that denigrated his accomplishments little by little at first, comments made by officials that in isolated situations were nothing to pay attention to yet it grew and grew in volume…and in vitriol.

It continued to grow in strength and in power and by late 1946 they begun to act more blatantly when the Ministry nationalised several key companies such as the Daily Prophet proclaiming that companies such as the newspaper were needed to be owned by the public despite the fact that the Ministry was very much not representative of the public at all.

Yet it was a lie that the public believed in and would not be the last they chose to believe.

Eventually, the political climate turned against Lord Sayre so much that laws had been passed in early 1948 across several European nations that blacklisted Lord Sayre's companies before banning his innovations from their shores – later copying them – with seemingly full support of the ICW which was beginning to exert its influence against the Sayre family.

The ICW had grown more powerful in the wake of Grindelwald's defeat, gripping tighter on Europe in vacuum of power that was left behind and seemed to have it out against Lord Sayre with the pressure they exerted against him.

MACUSA, in the wake of the tyranny at the hands of the ICW decided to withdraw from its organisation though it kept itself signed onto the Statute of Secrecy.

They would find natural allies in MACUSA once it became time to reveal Illos to the world but for now it was better it remained ignorant to their existence given that MACUSA was in a precarious situation that did not need further exacerbation.

There had been a few attacks on Lord Sayre's family at that point though the responses that given in response ensured that violent attacks would only result in violent retribution even if they could not prove it was him.

She'd heard some tongues waggle that indicated that it had been likely a test of some sort, to see how he would react if things grew out of control.

They very nearly tried to arrest him anyway though they wisely had thought better of it yet it did not stop them from taking further actions, actions that they would come to regret later.

With the forces that were arrayed against him, despite the support he held from places like France, Ireland and MACUSA and somewhat in Britain itself, it seemed clear that conflict might be inevitable.

Thankfully it never got to that stage, not when Lord Sayre had reminded the world who exactly he was and what he was capable of when he apparated directly into the Italian Magical Senate and subdued every single Lord and Lady within its chamber with nothing but the sheer strength of his magic just as they debated confiscating several magical creature reserves that the Sayre family owned.

She allowed herself a satisfied feeling to pass through her at the thought of those traitorous idiots who owed their very freedom because of Lord Sayre begging at his feet.

He reminded them that he was an Archmage, an archmage that defeated the man who had brought Europe to his knees.

No longer did he speak softly, no longer did he hide behind words of peace and entreating words of unity.

He began to speak a language they understood…a language they seemed to have forgotten that he spoke fluently even if he did so reluctantly.

That single act drastically cooled the aggressive and political action against Lord Sayre and he managed to broker a deal with Magical Britain that severed his family's connection to the lands of Magical Britain and all that came with it.

In all of this, Lady Slytherin-Sayre had remained largely unspoken about or acted against, somehow having managed to remain neutral in the conflict between several Ministries and Lord Sayre despite her marriage to him.

Personally, she thought it was because of her alliances with several influential Houses such as House Lestrange, House Nott, House Greengrass, House Prince and so on, houses that were Traditionalists historically yet allied themselves in a new neutral faction separate from Grey Faction that was known as the Ouroboros faction, one that did not alienate the ministry and largely kept themselves out of the bitter feud between Lord Sayre and the Ministry.

Those Houses were important to the Ministry and though Lord Sayre had key allies himself, he had never allied with most of them officially, not in the way other powerful Houses had.

It was something that likely all but sealed his erosion of support within the Wizengamot and though many saw her lack of support for him in politics as also another betrayal, it was not something that was discussed, at least in public.

In truth, it confused many people, this lack of support when she was heavily involved in Illos itself and she was quite aware that many people had all kinds of conspiracy theories about it all. She even kind of agreed with some of them.

In the end, he relinquished all of his political powers in Magical Britain, his family's ancestral rights and had given an expressive oath that he would not return to Britain in exchange the British Ministry never acting against his family in any form or capacity. It was a controversial decision and one that eventually would bite them in their traitorous behinds given what had come next.

When Lord Sayre and his family left the British Isles, thousands of magicals and all of his wealth in Europe left with him, before it could be 'detained' by a belligerent ICW and as a consequence, it ended up causing a recession that the Magical Europe still had not been able to get out of years later.

Her lips twitched with amusement as she recalled the flabbergasted headlines of when Magical Reserves all across the world were destroyed with every single magical creature in those reserves having vanished into thin air practically overnight.

The former workers that were left behind, those who could not be trusted to come to Illos, were all obliviated of what had happened leaving behind a mystery as to how it was achieved.

To this day there was still a huge potion ingredient shortage which only added to the economic woes of most of Europe with the exception largely of Ireland and France who had backed Lord Sayre for the most part.

It was telling that those two nations were the only European countries that were relatively unscathed compared to most other nations.

Last she heard, those other Ministries had blamed him for the recession though the public had started to turn against the governments, believing that their troubles had started because they had chased him away.

It was a hypocrisy that beggared belief when those same people had turned against him so easily, allowing the Ministries and the ICW the freedom to act as they did so readily with their tacit support, all because they choose to believe that lies that Lord Sayre was destroying their society with his 'radical' beliefs.

Amidst such tense relations with the Magical World, many Illosians were right to worry about the consequences of re-entering the magical world before they were ready.

"I understand" Lord Sayre enthused to her with a quirk of the lips before he glanced away from her "It is a concern that I also hold but I feel we are ready to at least dip a toe in the sea" he said with a guileful smile forming on his face "There are many reasons as to why we should not seclude ourselves away from the world…"

The elevator dinged as it arrived and the doors opened, showing the reverent entrance hall of the High Assembly Chambers.

"One of them is showing exactly what they have missed out on and that starts today in this small but significant step" he said to her with dancing emerald embers that shone in a sea of violet fire, his smile sharpening with precise calculation before he turned away and walked out into the entrance hall with measured steps.

His footsteps echoed as he walked towards the heavy laden twin doors that opened and she watched as saw through the open doors silver white stoned walls and floor seemed to glow in the rays of light that passed through the forty-foot-long window that overlooked Celestis City.

She remained in the elevator and did not follow since she was not privy to the High Council, and watched his figure grow distant until the doors closed behind him.

The elevator doors closed and began to descend, her mind fixed on what he said. She had faith in him, had done so ever since he told her the truth about her prospects in the magical world in that fateful meeting in the Hog's Head in 1940.

He'd repaid it time and again and she wouldn't break faith now or ever.

The elevator doors opened and she saw the delegation being led by Parelius Parkinson and a few Illosian Guards.

There were four delegates there with him, wearing formal wizarding robes though with an Asiatic accent to them.

She walked around them and they passed by her, Parkinson spared her a glance before returning to his conversation with the Japanese. She noticed one of them was familiar though she wasn't sure if she recognised him.

No matter, she mused.

The Japanese were a safe bet to introduce to Illos especially if the rumours were true that Lord Sayre had saved hundreds of Japanese families from the atomic bombs that had been dropped in Hiroshima and Nagasaki back in 1945.

Working as closely as she did with Lord Sayre for the past few years, she was well aware of his meticulous scheming and playing on the honour culture of the Japanese was not something he would be averse to.

One might think it would make her dislike him but far from it…

In all her time in the Magical World outside of Illos, she'd never felt at home…she'd never been allowed to feel at home.

Here…

Things were different and she had felt like she belonged from the moment she arrived.

"For Illos, anything and everything must be done to protect it" she said softly to no one in particular, her eyes hardened into immutable, immovable shards of blue stone.

It was something she and many others believed.

-Break-

26th of June 1952 – Bosnia

Amelie Cantona POV

Slick!

Her bastard sword passed through the neck of the last survivor, his head toppling onto the ground. With a jerk of her arm, the blood splattered off of her sword.

She glanced over her shoulder and saw the bodies in the hallway of the compound that had been left behind in the wake of her attack.

Whimpering sounds drew her attentions and she looked at the girls, dozens of girls that were penned in a large cage that was unfit for even animals let alone people.

She strode forward, her silver black armour shimmered in the dim lights that illuminated the room they were in.

The mission had been to investigate several Norwegian Ministry officials that were making noises of finding where Lord Sayre was 'hiding' and to bring him to justice for the economic 'terrorism' he did.

Normally they would not pay much attention to such statements but when it was coming from officials that were heavily involved in the growing radicalisation of Magical Europe…

The Counter Intelligence branch of the O.I. specialised in such matters.

They were tasked of ensuring that they knew all that there was to know about the important players in Ministries around the world and were tasked with what she believed was one of the most important duties she'd ever have;

Ensuring the secrecy of Illos was maintained for as long as possible.

It was becoming harder and harder to achieve, not least because the ICW was becoming aware that Lord Sayre still operated in the muggle world despite their efforts.

Most of Lord Sayre's operations in the British Isles were ceased when they'd left save for a few muggle companies that had little to no discernible connection to his family but there were still more than a few links remaining that tied him to the companies that had taken root in the United States.

Thankfully the events that lead to Lord Sayre's banishment from Europe, the same events that the ICW helped orchestrate, were exactly what would delay them from finding pertinent information.

MACUSA had withdrawn from the ICW some years ago by President Clito-Beauclerc as a result of the actions they'd taken against the Sayre family, a family she was a part of and a family that MACUSA backed to the hilt especially when Lady Sophia Sayre-McDowell married a member of one of the other Founder families.

This had delayed the ICW from figuring out that the links between the muggle companies and the growing squib workers that permeated through those companies and whose children studied in Illos.

But it would not remain the case in the future. It was why there was a growing contingent with C.I. that believed it was too risky to continue to operate as they have done despite the stringent magical contracts that kept Illos' secret.

She shook her head, dismissing that train of thought and returned to the situation at hand.

Their investigation led to one thing or another until they had come across this trafficking ring that funnelled its wealth into the coffers of these officials who also used the wealth to promote blood purity within Scandinavia.

She had thought they had been destroyed completely but it seemed like there were still some elements that were all too keen to continue the depravity that Lord Sayre had tasked his people to eradicate years ago.

In the early years after the war, most criminal organisations that had flourished during the Grindelwald era had been for the most part been eradicated by former members of the Knights of Mimpost, liberating hundreds of slaves, many often being exotic sex slaves.

They had earned an infamous moniker…the Hounds of Death, one that to this day inspired fear much to their satisfaction.

There was even a pub in Illos named The Knightly Hounds as a tribute to their infamous moniker.

The ICW had placed a bounty on them, offering quarter of a million galleons on their heads though they never been able to collect for obvious reasons.

The ICW had not cared about these criminal organisations, not when they stayed within the confines of the Statute and were protected by high ranked Ministry Officials in the countries these criminal organisations had operated in. The only reason they'd intervened is because they had to when corrupt officials were assassinated and almost a hundred wizards turned up dead.

It was concerning that another organisation had picked up the pieces they'd worked hard to shatter and disperse into the wind and perhaps another example like this was needed to be made.

Unfortunately, she didn't think it would stick not when hardly anyone cared in the magical world. That was quite fine in her eyes though…after all, she was all too happy to wet her blade in their blood.

With inhuman speed she cut the chains on the door with her bastard sword, its inherent magical nature cut through whatever enchantments that had been placed with ease.

The girls cried out in fear and she returned her sword in her scabbard before she touched her helmet underneath her chin, the liquid metal flowing away from her head until it receded down to her shoulders, revealing her face.

"I'm here to help" she said in French, her tone soft and gentle as the eyes of most of the girls widened with surprise, understanding dawning on their terrified faces.

The silver blond hair of the girls was an obvious giveaway of their nature…Veela.

They tended to be most often victims of trafficking with the rare few Sirens as another magical species that was highly desirable to wealthy patrons to own.

"You will take us…home?" one of the older girls said in with hesitation as she stepped forward. Amelie inclined her head.

"I will." She raised her arm, tapping rapidly on the arm interface. She glanced up "Which colony are you from" her eyes darted to some of the braver girls who were approaching her.

Not long after they were all outside, waiting on their pickup. Portkeys could have done the trick but even to this day, the magical nets that permeated throughout Europe were all still at their highest alertness despite it being almost ten years since the war ended.

It would leave a trace…a trace that they were not interested in leaving behind.

The girls exclaimed in shock and they huddled together closer as a large object descended down from the sky.

It was a large silver grey ship with acutely angled wings that made it seem like it was an overgrown diving Hawk in shape.

The ship settled down in front of them and its doors opened and a couple of her comrades began to walk down the slope.

One of them walked the women into the bowel of the ship whilst the other walked up to her.

"The bodies more or less intact?" Leonard Husserl inquired. She glanced at him for a moment before she nodded. He was a dark haired man with brown green eyes. He had an American lilt to his Germanic accent, a remnant of his time spent in the States when he'd been rescued from the concentration camps a decade or so ago.

"They are though most of them are missing an appendage or two. Some heads" she said with a shrug. She never quite knew why Lord Sayre wanted bodies recovered from their missions.

"That's fine" Husserl dismissed before he raised his arm and a Holo Interface sprang into existence. He tapped away with his hand and several enchanted drones flew out and into the building, towards the bodies that she'd left behind.

"How did it go in Norway?" she asked of her colleague. He paused for a moment before he looked at her.

"The mission was completed." He told her and she narrowed her eyes in response which he understood.

He pursed his lips "The intel proved right though I have to say he almost had me fooled" he said with a frown.

She tilted her head quizzically and he expanded "As you know, the man was someone who preached for blood equality in public yet the evidence that we got specified that he was a hard core purist supporter with links to ICW factions that are intent on finding us. But…" he trailed off as a troubled expression fell on his face.

"I found nothing at his home" he said with a sigh and he peered at her from the corner of his eyes "And you know I'm thorough."

She thought on it for a moment. They'd found this place and by extension Mr Vestergaard through spying on well known Norwegian Purists. Could it be Vestergaard was set up and their intel was bad?

"Did you try Legillimency?" she queried and he nodded.

"I did but he was better than I expected which is why I'm off the belief that perhaps my initial thoughts were wrong." He told her and she nodded, more relaxed at this revelation.

"He could have kept all the pertinent information stored in his mind." she surmised and he smiled grimly as he inclined his head.

"My thoughts too…still…I have to say that we would have never expected Vestergaard to be as involved in this had it not been for the evidence those officials had" he said with a frown "It's…unprecedented."

"Unusually competent" she agreed and he scoffed but nodded in agreement.

"Means we'll have to improve. Especially when this is the kind of man who in theory, based on his public records, could have been a staunch ally of Illos." Husserl said grimly and Amelie's eyes darkened at the thought.

The thought that such a man that could conceal his nature having anything to do with Illos caused the inner predator within her to rouse in furious rage.

"Goes to show that not all is what it seems at times." Husserl said with a shrug as the drones arrived with the bodies shrunk to a 20th of their original size levitated in a beam of light.

"Anyway, time to drop off those ladies and to debrief at base" Husserl said with a clap of the hands and the drones raced towards the bay of the ship and he followed suit.

She took a moment to look behind her, her eyes intent on the compound. What Husserl said about the deception Vestergaard played…

She narrowed her eyes. Husserl was right about one thing.

They'd have to improve lest they let a Trojan Horse through the gates of their city.

-Break-