The Streets of London

((Okay!))

The man sent an Unforgivable Curse and Rose, the smart one in the family, froze, her mind completely blank. She had only been attacked with an Unforgivable Curse once, and that night had been the worst of her life. She was almost willing to allow her life to stop here.

But she was saved. How Teddy had known where she was, she had no idea. She stepped back in horror as he screamed, and her eyes flashed towards the other man. "Avis oppugno! Diffindo!" If one spell would hit, it would give her a chance to reach Teddy.

She ran towards him, grabbing him from behind in an embrace. She turned her head towards his ear and hissed, "They have Victoire."


Marcie had frozen. There was a hunger in her eyes as she watched the fight, violence having always been an attractive force to her. She had reached out to grip Victoire's arm and she now held it in a tight grip, almost too tight.

Olliver, however, did not plan on standing idly by. He calmly but quickly left the grounds and approached Skuli, taking his place next to him and raising his wand. "What have we here?"

Ted tightened one arm around Rose, returning her embrace. He stiffened when Victoire's name was whispered from the girl's lips. His face registered shock, then joy, and finally hardened in an intense anger as his brain took in this new knowledge. Ted had thought the love of his life dead. To find out she was alive was an ecstatic feeling, however it was quickly followed by fear and anger to learn that she was being held by the enemy.

Ted pushed Rose firmly behind him as he pointed his wand firmly at Skuli, then to Oliver as he pointed to each man in turn.

"You have walked yourself into a huge problem," Teddy snarled at Oliver, "That's what you have here."

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After having waved off the annoying birds that had shot at his head, Skuli returned Teddy's sneer, the corners of his lips twisting into a sinister smile.

"Oh, I do not think we are the ones who have walked into a huge problem," Skuli replied smoothly, "Trapped in the dead-end of an alleyway...right next to Malfoy Manor.....and pointing your wand at a man who is twice your equal at dueling? What a brave boy to be so boastful as to claim the upper hand."

Skuli's eyes flickered to the young woman, Rose, and sneered. "I do believe we have a young Weasley here, Oliver. You remember how much I enjoy making the acquaintance of a Weasley...."

Before she could gauge Teddy's reaction - though she sure as hell knew what he was feeling anyway - he had pushed her behind him and squared off with the other men. She typically would have hated to have been shunted aside, but this was not a normal situation. This was life and death, and she was so not ready for it.

The younger man didn't worry her so much. It was the other one that gave her the full blown creeps. She didn't like the way he looked at her. Halfway through her last name, she pointed her wand at the ground before them. "Bombarda Maxima!"


Oliver was not one toying with his prey, so he did not bother to jeer and sneer at the cornered pair. He did nod, raising his wand to assist Skuli.

The girl was quick. He made a swiping motion with his wand, but was too late. The spell hit and exploded before them, sending shrapnel into Ollie's face. Ollie stumbled away, trying to brush rocks and glass from his cheeks.

Marceline's grip was tight, almost painful. Victoire flinched at the feeling, though it didn't quite hurt. She looked from her new friend to Ollie and the others in the alley. She wasn't certain what they were all doing, but it didn't look very friendly. Clearly, Marceline was reacting to whatever this unfriendly something that the others were doing, and since Marceline seemed to know what was going on, Victoire assumed that she also must be an example of what the proper reaction to such goings on ought to be. So, after examining Marceline for a moment, Victoire strove to imitate her.

Victoire gripped Marceline's arm tightly, almost too tightly, leaned forward toward the fighting and adopted a facial expression that, being a copy--and an imperfect copy at that; looked a little bit like the kind of face a dumb cat makes when it is preparing to pounce on an even dumber bird.

"What are they doing, Marcie?" she whispered.

Marceline had been so distracted by watching, earnestly worried for her brother. Though unfeeling towards human life, Marcie could not help but feel the strong connection to her brother that most twins owned up to having. She even could not help but allow some of the worry to wrinkle her brow as she pursed her lips.

The Weasley girl brought her back to reality. She slowly turned to her, her eyes lingering on the figure of her brother. "They are protecting us. From bad people. From liars."

"Nice one!" Teddy cried as he tightened one arm around Rose and attempted to disapparate, not realizing that they were standing within the bounds of a disapparation jinx.

"What in the world?" Teddy murmured aloud when he realized that he was not moving into the squeezing pressure between mass which was apparition.

With a few sharp flicks of his wand, Teddy began blasting holes in the brick wall lining the alley. "Climb!" he ordered Rose, indicating the holes which could be used as hand and foot-holds, "I'll hold them off."

Teddy turned his back to Rose, using his body to shield her as he waited for the dust cloud to dissipate, ready to deflect any spells the Death Eaters may throw their way.

Skuli threw his arm over his face, feeling the prick of small stones as they bounced off his body. He coughed as he breathed in some of the dust, daring to peer over his arm, eyes squinted against the stinging cloud of dirt.

"You won't get away!" he cried, throwing out his wand arm and flinging jinxes blindly into the dust cloud.

((My, my....how cliche. -_-))

Rose almost offered a smile to her honorary cousin... when she realized they were not apparating away to safety the way they should have been. She looked to him, and realized something was terribly, terribly wrong.

He pushed her towards the walls, instructing her to climb. She obeyed - she was of no real help to him dead, after all. And he would be so angry with her if she refused. She began to climb, watching jets of light dash about.

"Teddy! You have to get her," she called down, clinging to the wall. "Leave me - I'm fine. I'll find you! Go get her!"

A spell hit her - cutting her calf. Her pants ripped and a gash spread across her leg. She cried out in surprise and let go of the ledge, briefly scrambling as she fell. She caught herself and said, "I'm fine! Go get her!" She began scrambling up the wall again.

A hand suddenly reached down to Rose, offering to pull her up.

Sully had been watching this scene unfold for quite awhile, but he had lurked back, reluctant to get in the middle of a war. He had recognized the girl as one of his more gifted students, but he had also recognized that punk, Teddy Lupin....someone who had been very closely involved with that murderer James Potter. After seeing her desperation, however, he felt it was time to act. He did not want to choose sides in this war which seemed to be going on, but he could not bear to watch the weak being tortured by those Death Eater punks either.

A hand came into her line of vision and Rose screamed, once again almost letting go of her grip on the building. She looked up and met the gaze of her Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. She gaped, shocked to see him here. She looked back down at Teddy, feeling madly terrified for him, but she reached up and took the professor's hand and scrambled upwards, close to tears.

"Don't worry," Sully said in a reassuring voice, "Just stay here and wait for us."

Sully turned away from her and jumped from the building, using a slowing spell on himself as he neared the ground. He dropped next to Teddy, and walked out from the dust cloud as he deflected the spells which happened to near him.

"Mr. Rowle...Tinker," Sully stated as he stood before the two antagonists, "I do believe it is against wizarding law to use such spells against fellow wizards unless in self-defense. Am I correct?"

The dirt cloud had debris in it, and it was burning and cutting his face. His eyes stung as he reeled back, hacking and coughing. Skuli continued on - there was no stopping that man.

Oliver looked up to see his old professor standing before him. "No one likes a man who inserts himself into business he does not belong to," Oliver choked at him.

"Ah, well...." Sully replied with a small smirk at the boy, "I suppose the habits of an Auror die hard. We sometimes forget that our role might now be that of enriching the minds of young children in dusty and dark classrooms. I suppose you remember what post I teach....and you must ask yourself: 'Do you really want this fight?' "

((XD I'm gonna have sooo much fun making Sully one of those billy-badasses. Let the melo-dramatics begin!))

Oliver looked to Skuli - he was not much of a fighter himself. He had only come to Skuli's aid out of necessity and the prompting of his own manhood. He shifted uncomfortably. He hated this whole deal. He really did.

His sister, however, was much more tenacious. From her spot, so far away, she shrieked, "You don't know what you're dealing with!"

Sully turned his head, keeping his wand aimed at Oliver and Skuli.

"Ah, yes..." Sully mused, a sardonic smile twisting across his lips, "Forgive me, Ms Tinker, but should your progress in my class be any sort of indication to your skills....then I believe I have very little to worry about when it comes to a threat from you."

Sully, of course, having taught so many students, couldn't really remember how the young woman really did in her coursework. The fact that he did not really remember her guided him to a conclusion that she was neither completely horrible or some sort of protege. She had likely been very average, and thus forgettable....and very little threat to him, unless she had improved greatly the few short years since she had graduated. Sully knew well that confidence tended to unsettle an enemy....so long as that enemy wasn't ridiculously powerful.

Out of the corner of his eye, Sully watched Teddy as the boy continued to stare over Oliver's shoulder in the direction of the boy's twin, Marceline. Sully chanced another look and saw that there was a beautiful blonde-haired girl next to the Tinker girl, whom he knew to be Victoire Weasley.

"Stay where you are," he demanded quietly as Teddy made a move forward, towards the girls, "She is too well protected. Not even the two of us would manage to get past the defenses of Malfoy Manor, as you should well know.

"We won't back down!" Skuli proclaimed, though his wand-hand shook slightly, "We aren't about to let Teddy-bear there escape, and we'll take you out too if you stand in the way!"

Sully chuckled again, even lowering his wand slightly to show his utter contempt.

"Two boys practically straight out of Hogwarts are threatening an ex-Auror, teacher of Defense Against the Dark Arts, and someone, though young, having recently been an Auror for the Ministry?"

Sully laughed aloud, his eyes still boring into Oliver, who he had pegged to be more easily persuaded into backing down without a fight.

"Are you really being serious?"

Marcie was good at what she did, but she saw no danger leaving Victoire under the watchful gaze of the mansion to approach the intruders. Her brother was not one for words and she thought Skuli wasn't exactly the best diplomat. By far, she considered herself the most capable of handling this interaction.

"Your memory does you a disservice. Besides, those who are good at something never advertise - not if they know what they are doing." She approached, her head held high as her raven hair sat upon her shoulders. She looked between Sully and Teddy. "I don't think it's a matter of ability, but quantity. Three killing curses meeting two shield charms - I don't think it's the sort of chance you want to take. And besides. We don't mind playing dirty. Do we, Narcissa!"

Narcissa took the cue and stood behind Victoire, where the girl could not see, and raised a wand to point at the back of the blonde girl's head.

Marcie turned back to the men, her eyes resting on Teddy. "Four wands against two, and, if I'm being very honest, my feelings wouldn't be very hurt if even two of your spells landed. But if ours did..."


Rose stared down, looking and listening. She remembered Marceline - the girl was pure evil. Rose had known this a very long time. She looked and her eyes found Victoire, so innocent right now. But Victoire could really help, once she returned. She was clever. Rose was young, very young, basically useless.

Her mind made up, she quietly began making her way back down the ladder, rust rubbing onto her hands. She plopped down and, before either man could notice her, moved so she stood between both groups of men.

"A trade and no duel," she stated, holding her wand at her side. "You return Victoire and take me, and everyone walks their separate ways. Somethings wrong with her, I can see it a mile off. I have a ready mind and ready abilities. Let's trade!"


An interesting development after all. Marceline was not expecting this at all. She wasn't sure what to do. Victoire seemed without use with no memory - harmless, yes, but what could they extract from her? Rose was a much bigger threat to them all.

She looked to her brother and Skuli, briefly glancing back at Narcissa, finding herself completely stumped.

((Sorry for taking Narcissa on. Hope you don't mind.))

((Of course not. She's an NPC. ))

"Damn," Sully thought to himself, as he tensed against the onslaught. His plan to try and sneak out of the situation using intimidation had back-fired. He should have known...being so close to the Malfoy Manor. Sully cursed himself for getting involved. He should be concentrating on the task which had been handed down through the centuries and now resting on him. There was no reason for his involvement in the war of these wizards...but damned his chauvinistic attitude.

Sully was readying himself to lower his wand, and hope they take prisoners, lest he have to fight for his life....when Rose dropped down in front of him, offering herself as a trade. Sully kept silent, waiting for things to play out. There may still be a chance to fight his way out of this since Rose had broke the tension, and all attention was now on her.

"Rose! No!" Teddy said in a whisper, grasping her by the shoulder, There is no point in you giving yourself over to them. There is no way they will just let me walk away. They have us outnumbered. They would just take you and kill or capture us anyways."

Skuli suddenly began to cackle, and said exactly what Teddy had been afraid of.

"Why even attempt to barter with us?" he sneered at Rose, "We have you out-numbered, and out-classed. Why let any of you go, just for you? One Weasley is good as another to me and who cares about the teacher, but do you really expect us to let Potter's best friend just waltz away?!"

"Potter's best friend?" Narcissa echoed, her interest piqued, "That's quite a dangerous thing to be....especially out in public like this and so close to my home...."

"We should inform the Dark Lord," she hissed to Marcie, keeping her wand trained on the trio, her hand shaking slightly from excitement.

((Um....okay, I have no idea how in the world we are going to get out of this. XD I can't see the Death Eaters letting Teddy go. Unless he gets captured....which I wouldn't mind. I love it when my characters get tortured....I'll leave it up to you since you're the Dark Lord. Penelope could inform them that Teddy had been captured... Yay!!! Much more excitement than I ever had at PA!))

Rose fiercely remained where she was, unswayed by Teddy's attempts to pull her away. As she saw it, it would appear a good trade for the Death Eaters but would be relatively harmless for her family. The only risk was her own life, but she did not consider herself particularly necessary or helpful to the cause. She didn't even know the headquarters of the Order.

"Let me do this," she whispered back to Teddy, turning to look at him. "You want her back, don't you?"


To bring in James Potter's best friend... Huh... Rather than an obscure cousin with amnesia. Marcie was interested. She looked to her brother to see the idea was shining through his eyes too. She looked at Skuli, hoping he would pick up on her train of thought. "Perhaps we give you your girlie and your friends' freedom... If you give yourself to us. We're very hospitable."

"What?! And let both of the Weasleys go?!" Skuli growled, though low enough so he would not be heard by any other than the Death Eaters, "You know I have quite a soft spot for the Weasleys....."

Skuli fell silent. Let them bargain. He would attack when the scum tried to leave regardless. The others would join in, he was sure of it.

Ted stepped forward, shoving Rose to one side.

"You will let Victoire and these two go if I surrender?" Ted asked, his wand still raised, but his grip slackening slightly, "Bring Victoire forward and have her walk towards us. I will walk towards you at the same time. I keep my wand until all three are safely away. Will you agree?"

((I plan on having Skuli wrestle the wand out of Ted's hand as soon as he's within reach. This would trigger a reaction from Rose and Sully, I'm sure. They never took Victoire's wand from her, correct?))

She could sense from Oliver that they were both on the same track of thought. They were hoping to get Teddy away (for they viewed him as the bigger threat, as he was dangerous and emotionally compromised) and they they could try and win Victoire back to them and perhaps take Rose out too. The twins were in sync.

They answered together, "Deal."

Marcie immediately turned and flagged Narcissa, who looked torn. She sighed and linked arms with Victoire, whispering, "Look. They're dangerous. We are trying to capture that young man, he's bad. Just... try to stick by us. Come with me."

Marcie turned back to Teddy. "She's coming."

((They didn't take it. Sounds good!))

Teddy turned his head, addressing both Sully and Rose. "Take care of her," he said before lowering his wand and walking towards the group of Death Eaters.

Teddy could feel his heart thumping like a jackhammer in his chest. He knew full well that he just may be walking into the arms of death, but if it meant that Victoire was safe, he was more than willing.

As Teddy passed Victoire, he stretched his hand out to brush his fingers against the back of her hand. She shrank away and he noticed that she seemed not to recognize him, and was worried that the Death Eaters may have put a memory charm on her. Hopefully Curtis would be able to lift it once they got back to the Order. That's when Teddy realized with a sudden shock that neither Rose nor Sully would know where to find the Order. It was too late to turn back now, however, and Teddy continued forward, silently bidding his love goodbye.

Once he drew abreast with Skuli, Teddy turned to see that Victoire was already standing between Rose and Sully, looking extremely bewildered. Teddy began to turn back, opening his mouth to demand that they allow his friends to pass when Skuli suddenly struck. Teddy screamed as a burning hot spell lashed at his ankle, and he dropped to one knee, struggling to point his wand back at Skuli. Skuli was too quick however, and dodged, wrapping his own fist around the tip of Teddy's wand and ripping it out of his hand.

((Hopefull Ty don't mind the god-modding.))

This was not the way that Rose had wanted this to happen. She felt her breaths come in mighty heaves as she watched it all unfold. It wasn't until Teddy told her to take care of Victoire that it all became real for the redheaded girl. A sob caught in her threat. "No, Teddy. No, Teddy, no!" She rushed forward, but Sully blocked her way.

Marcie had no remorse, no regret. She waited patiently watching Teddy carefully. She could see Rose reach out to take Victoire's hand, a tear sliding down her face.

Skuli responded too soon. Marcie was hoping to wait until he made it inside the gate before she disarmed him and took down the others. As soon as Skuli responded, Rose turned and, once again, blew up the street.

She wheeled around to Sully. "Please, professor. Get her to... to Charles Dursley! He's her cousin - an extended cousin! I swear, I'll be fine!"

And with that, she ran through the cloud of dirt, swinging at the Death Eaters. She connected and hit Marcie across the head before spinning around. "Come get me, asswipes!"

((Sorry for the godmode. I just figured he would stop her. XD ))

((Quite alright. Rather have a slight godmod than a one-liner for the sole purpose of prompting one very slight action from one of my characters. And btw....ass wipes? XD))

Relieved of his wand, Teddy took a swing at Skuli, who stepped aside and pushed him to the ground.

"Keep him there, Oliver!" Skuli commanded as he turned his wand on Rose. "Ah...." Skuli crooned in his silky voice, "At least I was not deprived of both Weasley girls....and it shall soon be two....if Septimius is doing what he was told.

Grinning gleefully, Skuli brandished his wand at Rose, sending the Sectumsempra curse flying her way. He didn't aim to kill, but oh, how he loved to see them bleed.

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Quickly realizing that the only way he could help was by getting himself and Victoire out of the alley during the chaos, Sully did just that. The wiry man sprung up the handholds Teddy had cut into the brick, summoning the girl up to the roof once he reached the top. Grabbing her by the hand, Sully began to pull her along-side him, rushing to get past the disapparation jinx.

((Figure if he's forcing Victoire along, it isn't exactly godmodding. XD Though some would disagree....I figure that the Order will learn of Teddy's disappearance in the thread where James Wake is being introduced. I've already mentioned that he wasn't around, so he can just not show up, and everyone will be wondering why.))

((Rose has been on the streets. She's picked up new words. XD ))

Oliver stumbled and floundered in the dust and rubble, finding Teddy the best he could and pointing his wand at him, holding it straight at the older man's throat, swallowing as he stilled his arm.


Rose felt Victoire fly past and watched Sully take her. She swallowed. Right. Now to make it out of here alive. Marcie was out, Oliver was occupied. Just Skuli then. He threw a spell at her and she whipped out of the way, though a small gash made its way across her shoulder. She cried out and stumbled, before flinging her wand back and pointing at the ground. A thin layer of ice spread across the ground under Skuli's feet and towards her. She turned and ran, hoping to run until he had no choice but to give up.


Penny felt her weak constitution tremble as she stood at the window. So much... hate. How had she ended up on this side of the war? Poor Teddy... He looked absolutely defenseless. Who could save them? And if the Death Eaters could not find the Order, how would her old DADA professor do it?

She withdrew the phone, again. This time she typed : Teddy captured, in D.E. hands. Seek Prof. de Fronsac for Vic W. Rose needs finding.

((If Teddy kicks Oliver, it'd leave Skuli have to come back to restrain him and Rose could get away. And I'll have Penny message the phone too.))

Sensing weakness, Teddy lashed out with one leg, fetching Oliver a solid blow in his common peroneal. He then began trying to wrestle himself away, bellowing out for Rose to run.

Skuli hesitated, his desire to continue after the Weasley girl warring with his sense of duty to make sure that Teddy remained captured. Cursing, Skuli turned away from the girl and ran back towards Oliver, his wand drawn.

"Crucio!" he cried, and Teddy curled up and screamed, unable to move.

((Sorry I'm making such short posts. I'm having trouble concentrating, lol))