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Post by Isabella Rothschild on Apr 11, 2007 22:32:56 GMT -5
Isabella left her office after the failed tracking spell and wandered down to Voltaire's office. She was aching inside from the things that she had said to him, even though she was still angry with him for leaving Conor alone. But deep down, she knew it wasn't his fault. It could just as easily have been her. And Hogwarts should have been safe.
As she approached his office, she was surprised to find the door slightly ajar. She knocked softly, then walked in. "Voltaire?" she said softly.
But as she walked around the room, it became clear that he wasn't there. She walked over to the desk, where the empty and bloody bassinet stood. She touched the bassinet lovingly, smearing blood on her fingers. Then she broke down and cried heavily, leaning her head against the bassinet. She didn't care about the bloody feathers that stuck to her face. All she knew was that she wanted her baby and her husband back.
When her tears had finally abated, Isabella pulled back and wiped at her face carelessly. She walked around the room and looked at the scene. She spotted the "toy" duck, and quietly removed the enchantment from it, restoring it to its proper form. She glanced at the remains of the dove in its cage and cast a quick cleaning charm to get rid of the remains. Sighing to herself, she walked over to the closet and saw that the robe he'd been wearing earlier that day was now back in the closet, and some of his old things seemed to be missing. She shook her head, wondering what it all meant.
After a few more minutes, she decided to leave. The school would be closed soon, and she needed to get her things and go home, so she could begin her search for Conor. As she walked to the door, however, she stepped on something. She bent down to pick it up and realized, to her horror, that it was Voltaire's wedding ring.
That was when she knew something was terribly, terribly wrong.
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Post by Wesley St. Clare on Apr 12, 2007 12:18:15 GMT -5
Wesley had done the spell and proven that a portkey had been used recently to leave the grounds, and now had sent Angelique to the ministry to see if she could find out about any unauthorized portkeys that might have been set up recently. Now, he walked down to the dungeons, where Voltaire's office was supposed to be, in the hopes of finding Isabella and Voltaire to tell them what was going on. He stopped when he saw an open door, and peered inside.
Isabella was standing in the middle of the room, her face streaked with tears, and was staring down at something in her hand. Quickly, Wesley dashed into the room. "Isabella? What's wrong? Has something else happened?"
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Post by Isabella Rothschild on Apr 12, 2007 21:09:46 GMT -5
Isabella looked up at Wesley, still holding the ring in the palm of her hand. "He's... gone," she said numbly. "Voltaire. I... I think he left me. He took some weapons and old clothes.... and he left this. His ring. Why... why would he leave his ring?"
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Post by Wesley St. Clare on Apr 12, 2007 21:49:53 GMT -5
Wesley shook his head. He didn't know Voltaire all that well, and he knew Isabella even less. "I'm... I'm sure he'll be back. He... probably just went out to look for the baby."
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Post by Isabella Rothschild on Apr 13, 2007 13:04:52 GMT -5
"But... why would he take off his wedding ring?" she whispered. She glanced over at Wesley, and noticed that he still wore his wedding riing, even though his wife was dead. "I think... I think he left me. I said such terrible things... I was scared and angry and worried about my baby... my Conor..."
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Post by Wesley St. Clare on Apr 13, 2007 13:15:07 GMT -5
Wesley walked closer to her. "I... I don't know him well--just well enough to know he doesn't much care for me. But... I'm sure that if you love each other as much as I think you do... you'll find a way to work through it. Olivia and I used to have some terrible fights. Unfortunately, that is part of marriage. I'm sure, once he cools off, he'll be back."
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Post by Isabella Rothschild on Apr 13, 2007 23:43:03 GMT -5
Isabella managed a weak smile, but in her heart, she knew something was wrong. Voltaire simply would not have taken off his wedding ring willingly, unless something had changed. Had her words been enough to drive a permanent wedge between them? She wouldn't have thought so. The things he had said to her when he had broken up with her after Rori's injury were far worse than anything she had said. Yet, she was standing in the middle of the room, holding his wedding ring in her hand. "Thank you, Wesley," she said softly. She closed her hand around the ring and put it in her pocket, then wiped a tear from her eye. "Tell me, did you find anything at all?"
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Post by Wesley St. Clare on Apr 15, 2007 1:02:23 GMT -5
Wesley cleared his throat. "Well, a little. We determined that a portkey was definitely used to make the escape from the grounds. My sister, Angelique, is checking with the Ministry to see if any unauthorized portkeys were set up recently. But I'm afraid that's really all we can do for now."
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Post by Isabella Rothschild on Apr 15, 2007 1:16:14 GMT -5
"Thank you, Wesley," Isabella said, feeling a slight spark of hope. She looked at him. He was a good-looking man, with nice blue eyes hidden behind his glasses. "My husband doesn't like you much, in case you didn't figure that out. But he's not always right about people. You're a good man, with a good heart. And I think you're a lot stronger than you think. Once you put your mind to something, there'll be no stopping you. Kind of like me." She lifted her chin. "If Voldemort thinks I'm just going to lay down and cry because he took my baby, then he doesn't know me nearly as well as he thinks. I'm going to get my son back, no matter what it takes."
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Post by Wesley St. Clare on Apr 15, 2007 22:36:19 GMT -5
Wesley smiled slightly. "Thank you. And from what I can see of you so far, I think Voldemort had better watch his back. I believe you'll get your son back. And woe to anyone who dares stand in your way."
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Post by Isabella Rothschild on Apr 16, 2007 22:41:25 GMT -5
"Thank you, Wesley," Isabella said, smiling. "I really appreciate all that you've done for me. I really am sorry for what happened... with Sabrina. Weiss had better steer clear of me, or I'll wring her oh-so-stylish neck." She walked over and gave him a quick hug. "Take good care of Natalie," she said. Then she walked quickly out of the room. She had to get her things out of the castle before it was closed up for the summer.
And then she had a few people she needed to find...
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Post by Wesley St. Clare on Apr 16, 2007 23:02:54 GMT -5
Wesley watched her go, a worried look on his face. Isabella was a tough woman, and he didn't doubt her strength or resolve. But if Voldemort did indeed have her child, it would take her everything she had to get him back. He felt a pang of regret, remembering how he had felt jealous over Voltaire's newborn child, while he had lost his daughter. Now he realized the importance of hanging on to what he had. He knew he had to be there for Natalie now. Taking a deep breath, he turned around and walked back to the hospital wing.
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