The Way It Ends

Soundtrack

Hallie, thirty two, had finally lived a somewhat troubled life. She'd heard her Father murdered by death eaters whilst her Mother covered her mouth in the closet adjoining the murder scene. At the age of thirteen her younger brother had been attacked by a werewolf, transformed before her, then disappeared for five year. The evening she was reunited with her brother wasn't the most perfect of evenings, she'd been mugged, attacked for her Father's watch and who was the one to find her unconscious body? Toby. Moreover five months later she'd lost a leg and was in an unhappy marriage.

Thankfully Hallie fell pregnant, she went under the excruciating treatment to regrow her lost limb and her life was back on track. A Mother of two troubles teenagers, one a Gryffindor the other a Slytherin, an auror and an active member of the Order of the phoenix. To anyone it would seem Hallie was finally receiving her good hand, all the bad deals had been exhausted, she was finally living the happy life that she deserved... Until today.


'I'll see you later, be good for your Grandmother boys!' Hallie called, kissing each of her children on the forehead before turning and walking out of Cooper Cottage. It had been her home for so long, her Mother still lived there and with both Hallie and Theodore working now it had become the daycare center. Not that Amelia minded, she was used to being around teenagers at work for ten months of the year, what was another two months in the school holidays?

Strolling down towards the gate Hallie smiled. There was a cool breeze, just the kind she loved, the scent of sunflowers drifted up her nostrils whilst a couple of birds chirped in the nearby trees. The morning couldn't have been more tranquil.

BOOM!

Hallie flinched, shielding her eyes as wood chippings were scattered from the gate as it exploded into pieces.

BOOM!

Hallie was sent flying as a blasting charm hit a patch of grass not too far from her.

'Hallie!' Amelia called, opening the front door and calling out to her daughter.

The auror didn't respond, her eyes instead looked up to the sky. No. No! Not here, not where her family were supposed to be safe. How on earth could they have tracked her down? It was a quiet muggle village in the Lake District. The screams of tourists and muggle villagers filled Hallie ears. Explosions. Flashes of green light.

The past year had been a peak for Hallie in the auror office. There had been a band of international wizards from eastern Europe. For months they'd caused chaos in England, infiltrated the ministry on several occasions, left Hogsmede in ruins, caused quiet a task for the obliviator squad due to their attack on muggles and objective to break the internation statue of secrecy. Thankfully Hallie had been responsible for dampening down the attacks, taking it upon herself in the office to make it her only priority. The ex-Gryffindor had done her job, thanks to Hallie Azkaban's population had doubled but she knew that only mean't more trouble. The day after she'd captured the majority of the foreign wizards it all went quiet. They'd gone, gone without a trace, at least that's what everybody else knew. Hallie, she knew different, she knew one day they'd return and she would be their target.

No less than twenty five wizards on broomsticks spraying curses and blasting charms were soaring around the village, swooping down on muggles, conjuring flocks of eagles and sending them to attack the muggles.

'I've found her!' One of them called.

'Get inside. Take the children and-'

BOOM!

Hallie didn't finish instructing her Mother. Two blasting charms had found their target of Cooper Cottage, blasting through the two front windows and causing the rooms inside to erupt into flames.

Protego Totalum. Protego Horribilius.

Hallie, heart beating fast, began edging back to the house, casting protective enchantments around the premises as she did. Running into the house Hallie found Amelia lying on the ground checking the pulse of Hallie's eldest child.

'Is- Is he-?.' Tears brewed in the blonde's eyes.

'He's alive.' Amelia breathed, coughing in the smoke that was slowly filling the house from the explosions. 'We need to get out.'

'We're surrounded!' The younger son called, a note of urgency in his voice as he ran in from his stare outside of the window in the kitchen. 'They're sending spells at the house but, but nothing's happening, but, but what if they, what if they break-'

Hallie grasped her son, embracing him tightly and kneeling down to his level.

'We're going to be fine.' That was a lie. They were surrounded by over twenty five wizards. Hallie's enchantments wouldn't hold them off forever. Amelia and Hallie wouldn't be able to hold them off if they broke them.

Standing up Hallie waved her wand. Several patronuses shot from the tip, filling the room before heading out through the doors and windows. They needed help. She'd sent one to the ministry, one to Theodore and the rest had gone to find the other members of the Order of The Phoenix.

Jaquellene Dyllan-Morrison had been a fearsome opponent at the age of nineteen. By twenty-one, there was a small group of people she would be nervous about facing in any sort of battle. Fourteen years later, the thirty-five year old did not feel as though age had brought her down at all. She was in her prime. She had grown stronger with each year because she had refused to grow weaker. She had promised to retire from her life of kicking ass and taking names when she felt safe to do so. That day had not come yet.

But she had learned.

She had never allowed herself to take on an ally for the fear of losing one, but she had learned in her youth that she did not always have a choice in the matter. She had to make changes. She had given up the Order, had given up the Quidditch job, had given up the vices that kept her family from feeling safe. But, most importantly, she had given up on the notion that she could go it alone. That all she needed was purpose, but never love, or reassurance, or kindness.

Maximus Morrison, one of the least outspoken men she had ever met, had beat her on that point. They had been married for fourteen years now, and though it had begun as a favor, she woke up every day knowing that it was what kept her going. Max was the one she came home to after a long day, the one that reassured her that she was doing everything she could. He made her believe in herself, and he had finally convinced her that she was beautiful.

Her life had never gotten easier, but it had certainly gotten happier. Sunny had been adopted, becoming the daughter to them she had always been destined to be. Then had come Nikki and Rudy, filling the void of children Jack could not have. And then, Archer came. Her miracle baby, the boy that she could not concieve or bear and yet... her belly had rounded, she had been cranky for a good nine months, and then happy forevermore after to hold the boy with her mouth and her husband's eyes.

Jack Dyllan-Morrison would never have an easy life. But she sure as hell had one she would not trade for anything.


Sunny had been the only one in the Nightwatch building. The twenty year old had stopped by to deliver Gabby's favorite biscuits as he was supposed to be on duty. When she arrived, however, she found he was nowhere to be seen. The daughter of Jack Dyllan-Morrison knew better than to assume it meant nothing. A quick sweep of the center found a wounded Gabby, unconscious as he had attempted to reach the panic button that would call the entire Nightwatch together. Sunny unrolled the scroll in his hand.

Intercepted. Attack on Cooper household. Tonight.

Sunny's heart pounded and she slammed on the panic button. A flurry of activity signaled the release of patronuses and Sunny reached down and grabbed Gabby. She dragged him to the medical room and pounded another button that would summon a Healer. With that, she quickly ran to the equipment room. A gun secured (her own magic being horribly unreliable as she was not fully magic nor fully muggle), a broom mounted, and she was on her way.

It did not take her long, and as she neared she felt her throat go dry. On her own, she had no chance against these men. She bent over her broom to go faster, her heart about ready to run out her throat. Was this going to be it?

CRACK!

And there was her uncle Kip and his little band of friends. Yuri, Remy, Rory, Kenna - all practically family to the twenty year old. She smiled widely and redoubled her speed as the five of them began furiously duelling. They were still outnumbered but at least she would not be going down alone.

She shot at the nearest attacker, a diffindo bullet speeding towards his leg. A spurt of blood revealed she had done the job.

It only took another minute though for the few there to feel as though they were getting overwhlemed. Sunny had her fair share of bruises blossoming, and a burn was spreading up her arm, but she persisted on. If they didn't get help now...

There was a crack like thunder and Jack Dyllan-Morrison hit the ground running. Sunny had enough time to shoot her aunt-turned-mother a look of full admiration before forging on into the battle.

A good three of four of the broomsticks turned towards the new arrival and Jack stood, waiting. They sped towards her and the woman rolled her shoulders back. Their wands raised and suddenly hers slixed horizontally through the air. The men were thrown off their brooms and Jack rolled her head, licking her bottom lip. "The Azkaban warden is going to have his hands full tonight, boys."