Part 4 of "Coffee and Criminals"

An infamous mass murderer is on the loose, but it's not that simple.

Jieqiong x Eunwoo/Im Nayoung, featuring members of Pledis Girlz

It was a warm morning in early autumn. Over the past few days, London had seen nothing but torrents of rain. Today, not a single cloud was visible in the sky. The sun’s rays peeked through the gap between thick velvet curtains. The beam of light landed across an ostrich’s face, who squawked lightly before rolling over and burying herself deeper into her blanket burrito.

There was a soft giggle. “Jieqiong, wake up,” someone cooed, brushing aside a strand of hair.

Jieqiong whined before snuggling into the person’s palm, a serene smile gracing her lips.

“Don’t you want to say hi to me?”

Jieqiong felt someone run their thumb gently across her cheek. “Sleep,” she mumbled.

“Alright,” the person sighed dramatically. “I could always feed Eunwoo breakfast instead.”

“What.” Jieqiong bolted upright in her bed, eyes heavy with sleep but straining to see clearly. She blinked rapidly until the very lean blob by her beside focused into a woman she hadn’t seen for three days. “Nayoung!” She croaked.

Nayoung’s twinkling laugh was bright like the sunlight. “Good morning. Aw, look at you all tuckered out. I heard you were a great help to Yebin last night. All of your armor is ready to go. I can’t wait to see you try it on.”

Everything went in one ear and out the other. “Where have you been? What did you do? Are you hurt? Are you tired? When did you get back?” Jieqiong fired off, her voice still hoarse. She pawed at Nayoung’s round face like a curious kitten, searching for cuts and bruises.

“We can talk about that after you’re fully conscious and fed. Come on, breakfast is ready.”

Nayoung held out her hands to pull Jieqiong up from the bed. Jieqiong silently relished in the feel of the slender fingers intertwining with hers. She rose to her feet, and then her back cracked. Nayoung suppressed a snort with great difficulty, earning her a slap from an annoyed Jieqiong. The detective’s elbow decided to pop at that moment as well.

“Oh shut up,” groaned Jieqiong as she waddled towards the door, still holding Nayoung’s hand.

She reached out blindly to grab the door handle, only to falter in her steps as there was nothing to grab. A tug on her hand pulled her back just as the door swung open on its own. Nayoung gently nudged Jieqiong out into the hall. The door opposite swung open to reveal an amused Siyeon supporting a very drowsy Eunwoo.

“Suit up…” Eunwoo yawned and loosely held her fist up in the air.

“Not yet,” said Siyeon. “Breakfast first. Off we go.”

After an odd arrangement of Nayoung and Siyeon helping Jieqiong and Eunwoo wash up, the four trekked downstairs to the dining room. Yewon beamed at them, happy to have everyone back home again. Yebin gave an “ahoy” as if this was how every morning proceeded. Before Jieqiong could interrogate anyone, Nayoung pushed a piece of toast between her lips.

Nayoung updated everyone on what she and Siyeon had been doing. Three days ago, they had been called into the Ministry to team up with two other Aurors and follow a strong lead on the whereabouts of Nightshade’s followers. Their ambush had gone awry, but it had also scattered and confused those gathered in the abandoned building. Three had escaped the basement, but Nayoung and Siyeon had cornered two of them in an old office and Stunned them before they could Disapparate. They were brought back to the Ministry immediately for questioning.

Eunwoo congratulated them, though still a bit confused. Siyeon accepted it reluctantly. She emphasized that while they have gained insight into Nightshade’s plans, the three who escaped would surely tell their master what transpired. It would also be foolish to believe the Auror Office had the whole picture from two measly subordinates’ accounts.

“So what’s going to happen now? Are we still just waiting around?” Asked Jieqiong.

“We’re close. It’s getting both easier to track him and harder to keep up,” said Siyeon.

“Which means, he’s getting restless and reckless. He’s going to trip up soon,” said Nayoung.

“Let’s just hope his mistake won’t backfire on us too,” said Siyeon as she set her fork down.

“In the meantime, we’ve got to train you two up a bit,” said Nayoung, looking from Jieqiong to Eunwoo. “As far as I know, Muggle investigators aren’t usually on the front lines.”

The detectives shared a look. “We’re trained enough to confront hostile suspects when absolutely necessary, but we’re no firearms unit,” admitted Jieqiong.

“Right then. Let’s check what you all have been working on so far.” Nayoung stood up.

The dirty dishes showed themselves to the kitchen sink and began soaking in the suds. The six women all filed down the hall and into Yewon’s lab. Since the last time Jieqiong had been in here, some of the plants had sprouted pods, fruits, and flowers. She figured Yewon foraged these regularly as several mason jars were full of them on the back counter. Jieqiong cringed at the squelching noises some of the pods made.

“Here’s what we’ve tested.” Yewon set out various boxes across the marble surface. “These have been coated in elixirs of Sneezewort to trigger delirium and Henbane for paralysis. Nothing too potent. Higher concentrations caused the guns to melt,” she frowned.

“Doesn’t that also mean the effects are temporary?” Asked Siyeon warily.

Yewon nodded and continued. “This one contains Streeler shells. The bullet explodes upon firing. The shards of toxic shell will pierce skin, like shrapnel, I think Eunwoo called them. Slows down a crowd, though it’s gruesome. For the other box, I’ve replaced the bullets in the casings with Doxy teeth cores. Nightshade’s lot will have a blast digging those out of their backs.”

“I see venom is a common element here,” remarked Nayoung.

“Repetitive, yes, but highly effective. Nothing too fatal and outside my comfort zone, but enough to get the job done. Now, if you’re looking for variety…” Yewon’s tone trailed off mysteriously.

“Are those grenades?” Exclaimed Yebin with a mixture of astonishment and pride.

“Sort of. Eunwoo mentioned them once. I contacted a friend from the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and came up with these.” Yewon tossed an object the size of a lemon up into the air.

Jieqiong caught the magical grenade with shaking hands and gaped at Yewon. “Creatures? What for? Is something going to pop out of this if I throw it?”

“What’s in the ball?” Nayoung deadpanned. She did not like the idea of Yewon carting potentially illegal beasts in and out of their home.

Yewon’s grin had never looked so mischievous. “Salamander Fire.”

“No way,” squealed Yebin, giddy as a kid on Christmas morning. “This has been on my to-do list since last year! How did you contain it?”

“A nice thick lining of mucilage.” Yewon jabbed her thumb over her shoulder at a large drooling plant that looked like a Venus flytrap and cactus hybrid. “Pulling this pin will desiccate the mucilage, thus removing the barrier. A fire should start at the site of impact, from which it will spawn Salamanders. I even made a version for Frost Salamanders. The chaos should distract and overwhelm Nightshade’s army.”

Yebin beamed with joy and looked as if she was about to leap over the counter and kiss Yewon. Siyeon groaned, hooked her fingers around the back of Yebin’s shirt collar, and gave it a hard yank. Yebin’s eyes rolled around in their sockets from the whiplash.

“Can we move on before Kang gets too happy?” Siyeon complained, though she eyed the grenades appreciatively.

“Right. I’ve edited the darts a bit as well. For these, I replaced the needles with sharp strips of Runespoor fangs. Highly venomous and fast acting. I’ve taken care to extract most of the venom. It’s just enough to slow down a target and inject the original serum into them, a bit like a pre-serum. They should be knocked out cold,” explained Yewon.

“Careful,” said Nayoung softly. She caught the lethal looking dart just as it slipped out of Jieqiong’s fingers, almost poking her other hand on the counter.

“Thanks,” said Jieqiong breathlessly. She didn’t know what Runespoors were, but fangs were not to be handled lightly in any case.

“And the last set?” Asked Siyeon, nodding at the right-most box on the counter.

“I was wondering whether to let you guys have this…” Yewon mumbled, more to herself.

Eunwoo picked up a dart filled with a potion the color of graphite. “Looks like bottled death.”

“Essentially…” Yewon trailed off.

“Excuse me?” Interrupted Siyeon. “What was that about crossing boundaries before?”

“It’s diluted!” Rushed Yewon. “And really I was intending for it to be a last resort kind of thing. I brewed one cauldron of Angel’s Trumpet Draught.”

Yebin whistled. “That’s pretty advanced.”

“That’s what you’re focused on?” Scoffed Siyeon. Yebin straightened up and looked away.

“Angel’s Trumpets…” Murmured Jieqiong. “Wait a minute, Muggles have those. I’ve seen them at a garden exhibition once. Except, wasn’t it Devil’s Trumpets that have a history in witchcraft?”

“Isn’t it funny how close Muggles get to the truth?” Nayoung smirked but didn’t laugh. “Just because Devil’s Trumpets have to do with nighttime, it doesn’t mean it’s strictly magical. Anyway, both have very similar effects. Both are very deadly in a potion.”

Jieqiong noticed Nayoung’s jaw was clenched tight. “You haven’t had to take any, have you?”

“There was a meth lab nutter, as Yebin dubbed him, who sold draughts to Muggles. Marketed them as your run-of-the-mill drugs in shot form, ‘perfect for a Friday night.’ He practically shoved a whole vial’s worth down Nayoung’s throat at the thought of Azkaban,” said Siyeon bitterly.

“Bedridden for weeks, I was afraid my antidotes weren’t enough. Given it was the holidays, St. Mungo’s was in over their heads with patients,” said Yewon, remembering the dreadful scare.

“Not like I’d trust anyone else to treat me,” smiled Nayoung. “Enough dwelling on the past, I’m alive and kicking. You two should… What is it Eunwoo says? Suit up?”

“Suit up!” Cried Eunwoo and she dashed to the doorway with her finger in the air, then skirted to a stop. “Um, after you Yebin. Heh.”

~|~|~|~

The morning might have been comfortably warm, but the afternoon heat was unbearable. The sun blazed down on Jieqiong’s face, the back of her neck as flushed as her cheeks. Beads of sweat trickled down her temple.

“You’ve made immense progress,” Nayoung chirped proudly. She dabbed at Jieqiong’s forehead with a small wadded towel.

“Thanks,” Jieqiong huffed. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the brick house, exposing more of her face to the sun’s rays. She couldn’t bother shifting into the shade.

“Pumpkin juice, anyone?” Yewon asked and passed out goblets.

“Thunder spears and homing shuriken! Comes with the pumpkin juice for just seven Sickles more! What a steal!” Yebin bellowed like a merchant at a sporting event. She laid a set down by Jieqiong and Eunwoo each without asking for money.

“Do we have to?” Groaned Eunwoo.

“I think you guys will like these a lot more,” said Siyeon, casting a cool breeze with her wand.

Jieqiong and Eunwoo shared a look.

After Yewon’s ammunition symposium, Jieqiong and Eunwoo tried on their Ukrainian Ironbelly armor. They fit remarkably well without limiting maneuverability. Jieqiong admired how much she resembled a medieval video game avatar. The small shoulder spikes and impressive scales added a whole new intimidation factor. Siyeon praised both of them, saying these were much better than shoddy bulletproof vests. Nayoung stared at the two thoughtfully, then twirled her wand in a circular motion. The metallic gray scales glistened before turning a deep, glossy shade of obsidian. The witches agreed that two Muggles prancing around in flashy silver vests and trousers would draw too much attention.

Nayoung then constructed a training regimen for the detectives. Relying solely on projectile weapons was highly restrictive. Nightshade’s army was unlikely to allow a barrage of bullets and darts to rain down on them for long. Nayoung partnered up with Jieqiong, and Siyeon with Eunwoo. Yebin provided simple steel daggers for them to practice close combat. Yewon sat in the shade with several bottles of Essence of Dittany at the ready.

Jieqiong experienced firsthand how durable her new armor was. When Nayoung hit Jieqiong’s abdomen, she budged only a few centimeters to balance herself. The chest plate had absorbed the full force of the blow. Jieqiong also noticed how agile Nayoung was. The witch was quick on her feet, landing the tips of her daggers on Jieqiong several times. Rather than getting in the way, Nayoung’s long limbs allowed her to attack from a distance. But by the next hour and a half, Jieqiong had learned to dodge and counterattack before the witch retreated. Nayoung allowed this to continue a bit before changing tactics to a feint attack and blindside. Jieqiong caught on quickly, blocking Nayoung when she pivoted around to attack Jieqiong from behind. As Nayoung sped up and used various techniques, Jieqiong was forced to adapt. Four hours later, her exhaustion finally caught up.

Nayoung squeezed Jieqiong’s shoulder. “Drink up, it’ll give you energy.”

Jieqiong lifted her sore arm to grasp the chilled goblet. The smooth, sweet liquid cooled her insides and relaxed her muscles. “Is this another of Yewon’s potions? I think it’s my favorite.”

“No, it’s just a normal drink. Best on hot days,” chuckled Nayoung. “If you like this, you should try Butterbeer. I’ll take you after this whole thing is over and done with.”

“It’s a date,” breathed Jieqiong absentmindedly. She gulped down more of the refreshing juice.

Nayoung’s eyes grew to the size of golf balls. “R-really?”

“Hmm?” Hummed Jieqiong as her head lolled onto Nayoung’s shoulder.

“Uh, n-never mind.” Nayoung stared stiffly ahead at a yellowing patch of grass.

“We should get back to practicing,” sighed Siyeon, trying to wriggle out from under Eunwoo.

“No, come back, you’re making me move,” whined Eunwoo. Without Siyeon to lean on, Eunwoo sprawled out on the grass, unwilling to stand up.

Jieqiong opened one eye at the ruckus across the backyard. “We should,” she agreed and with tremendous effort, she pushed herself onto her feet before helping Nayoung up.

“Yebin brought us two more weapons. Utilize them for defense. They may deal damage secondarily. We’ll start with the thunder spear. Try to keep your distance,” instructed Siyeon.

Jieqiong paced backward from Nayoung, who crouched into an offensive position. Siyeon mirrored her stance. Eunwoo and Jieqiong tried to hold her spears steady, ignoring the pain.

“Move to block or counter an oncoming attack. Jab the spear, slash it in the air, do whatever is comfortable and effective. Don’t mindlessly whip it around. It’s all about timing,” said Nayoung.

She and Siyeon raised their dominant hand in sync, their daggers glinting in the sunlight. On the count of three, they lunged forward. Eunwoo shrieked and held the shaft of the spear horizontally above her head. It successfully stopped Siyeon’s dagger in its downward . But by the witch’s expression, this wasn’t how Eunwoo was supposed to react.

When Nayoung rushed forth, Jieqiong shifted her weight and slashed the air with her spear tip diagonally, cutting off the angle of attack. A sudden flash blinded Jieqiong momentarily. Then she saw Nayoung’s dagger fly out of her hand and land blade-down in the dirt. From the look of admiration on Nayoung’s face, this was how one wielded the thunder spear.

“Distance and timing,” Siyeon reminded Eunwoo. “You see what Jieqiong did? She stood far away from Nayoung. When Nayoung tried to close their distance, Jieqiong moved as if to attack Nayoung head on. But instead of making physical contact, her spear emitted lightning. More complex movements can conjure a shield.”

“Imagine drawing a line when you slash the air,” continued Nayoung. “That line, the bolt of lightning, acts as an extension of your spear. A burst of pure energy. Ideally, it should block your opponent’s attack before they can touch you. The lightning could actually shock them on contact. As Siyeon said, a more complex force field would blast them away.”

“We can maintain a safe radius while still technically in close combat,” said Jieqiong. Siyeon and Nayoung nodded, looking very pleased.

“It might be the heat, but all I can think about is that the name should be lightning spear. Thunder is the boom in a storm, aye?” Slurred Eunwoo, squinting through the sunlight.

“Thunder sounds more awesome!” Shouted Yebin from the seat next to Yewon. “Like Thor!”

“Me likes that movie,” giggled Eunwoo.

Jieqiong sighed in amusement. “You need more pumpkin juice if you think Thor is good.”

“Hang in there. One more set, then we’ll go inside,” Siyeon encouraged everyone.

Nayoung lifted up six throwing stars looped around her fingers. “Homing shuriken. Yebin went through a whole gaming phase, whatever that is, and came up with these. A Containment Hex allows the set of stars to form a cocoon trap. They constantly drain the target’s energy and the cage of shuriken must first be broken before they can attack anyone else. Certain sets even prevent Disapparition.”

“These are great for weakening your target, for when you are fighting multiple people, and to give yourself time to either run or heal yourself,” said Siyeon. “Each set has a unique marking. Think of them as a family, a sort of living entity. They can identify each other, and you.”

Again, the two witches backed up and raised their daggers. Jieqiong and Eunwoo put down their spears and each took six throwing stars. They bounced nervously on the balls of their feet. Throwing something required a lot more accuracy than using a handheld weapon. Nayoung counted down before she and Siyeon attacked.

Jieqiong threw all of the stars from her right hand toward Nayoung. Each of them spun around to cage in the witch at different angles. Thin, blurry wisps emanated from Nayoung to each of the stars and she slumped slightly. Her breathing became ragged. But when Jieqiong whipped her left hand around, two of the stars locked together and clashed with the third. Despite the onset of exhaustion, Nayoung moved elegantly, treating combat like choreography. She had ample time to stab at each of the stars floating around her. They dropped like flies. Jieqiong clenched her fists in frustration.

“You’ll get the hang of it,” said Nayoung cheerfully, patting Jieqiong on the back.

On the other side of the enclosure, Eunwoo fared much better. The three stars from her right hand encircled Siyeon menacingly. Siyeon was quick to jab at the lowest star by her shoulder and it flopped onto the grass. She shot her other dagger straight up at the star floating above her and it toppled over lifelessly. In the meantime, Eunwoo ran behind Siyeon, throwing one star after another. Without breaking step, she swept up the two fallen stars and flung them back up into the air. The final star locked into place and a brilliant white string of light connected all six stars to form a cage, each the witch’s energy like metal leeches. Siyeon swiped her daggers harshly at the light. Sparks flared from the impact but the shield remained intact. After a few more attempts, Siyeon collapsed onto one knee. Eunwoo walked forward and plucked one of the stars out of the configuration. The rest spun towards her outstretched hand.

“Woah,” breathed Eunwoo in amazement. She stared at the shuriken dangling from her fingers.

“Good… Job… That was… Excellent…” Panted Siyeon.

Eunwoo moved quickly to lift Siyeon up. Jieqiong stepped forward to support her from the other side and helped her into a lawn chair. Nayoung collected the daggers from the grass.

“It seems like you each have your own affinities in combat,” noted Nayoung. “Variety is good. You cover each other’s weaknesses to make one strong team.”

Jieqiong and Eunwoo beamed tiredly at each other.

~|~|~|~

Everyone opted to skip lunch, their appetites reduced from the extensive afternoon training. Jieqiong and Eunwoo were lounging on the couches in much better spirits. Siyeon had passed out an hour ago in her bedroom. Nayoung was about to do the same when she overheard voices on her way up the stairs.

“Please, can I try it just once?” Begged Yebin in what was supposed to be a cute voice.

“I don’t know. I don’t think Nayoung would approve—”

“Approve of what? If you’re questioning it, probably not,” interrupted Nayoung, appearing in the doorway to Yewon’s lab.

Jieqiong and Eunwoo paused their conversation to look down the hallway. With a nod, they stood up and walked over to the room.

“Yebin wants to test the grenades,” said Yewon, wincing in anticipation of Nayoung’s refusal.

“Please, just one. For science. We don’t want Jieqiong and Eunwoo to be lugging around duds.”

“Should I be offended?” Asked Yewon with her eyebrow raised.

“Of course you made perfect grenades, but she doesn’t know that,” whispered Yebin out of the corner of .

Jieqiong eyed Nayoung’s stern profile. Yebin should never be a ventriloquist, she thought.

“I am three feet away. I can hear you.” Nayoung glared at the weapons specialist.

“But… But… But…” Yebin’s lip quivered as she failed to come up with a convincing excuse.

“As long as someone can control what pops out of that thing, I’m all for trying it,” said Jieqiong. Yebin glowed with joy.

Nayoung pressed her lips into a thin line. “Fine. If there’s any damage to the house, it’s off with your heads,” she sighed, glaring lightly at the two witches.

Yebin clicked her heels like a Leprechaun and dashed outside. Yewon picked up a single red grenade and led the rest to the backyard. Yebin was already waiting by the fence, jumping up and down. The sun was setting quickly giving the sky a warm orange glow.

“Who would like to do the honors?”

“You do it,” said Eunwoo warily. Jieqiong took the warm explosive from Yewon.

“Wands at the ready!” Nayoung shouted. She, Yebin, and Yewon formed a triangle.

With a nod from Nayoung, Jieqiong ripped out the pin and aimed at the center of the grass. The backyard was suddenly illuminated. Blending with the sunset, it looked like a scene straight from hell. Eunwoo shrieked and dove behind Jieqiong, peeking over her shoulder.

The bonfire glowed brilliantly and then expanded. Jieqiong squinted at the base. She could see the shadows of large, flat-faced, four-legged animals clambering over each other. One of them pawed at the grass before daring to venture outside the flames. The others followed. Jieqiong and Eunwoo gasped at the red and orange salamanders the size of crocodiles, emitting flames and crackling embers from their backs. They singed the grass as they waddled away.

“Aqua Eructo!” Shouted Nayoung.

A gigantic jet of water shot out of the tip of her wand like a fire hose. She aimed it straight at the bonfire. Yewon’s voice echoed Nayoung’s. A second stream of water flooded the fire, resulting in billowing puffs of steam.

“Aw, look at you cutie,” Yebin cooed to a salamander. “Can we keep him?” She asked hopefully.

Jieqiong’s eyes furrowed as she watched the salamander. It certainly looked like a beast, but it acted like a dog. It’s tongue flopped out of the corner of its mouth as it panted at Yebin’s attention. Yebin levitated a burning rock and the salamander chomped on it gleefully.

“No more pets! We already let Yewon keep you!”

Jieqiong and Eunwoo followed a third jet of water from the bonfire up to the wand sticking out of the second floor window. The noise and light must have woken up Siyeon. With a scowl, she extinguished the last of the flames and the remaining salamanders disintegrated into ashes.

“Fluffy!” Cried Yebin dramatically, falling onto her knees with arms outstretched towards the sky.

“She gave it a name,” Siyeon muttered above the detectives. “Yewon, would you mind?”

Yewon raised her wand. The ground turned itself over, mixing the burnt grass with the nutrient-rich soil. Blades sprouted up before elongating, creating a vibrant green lawn.

“Since you’re awake, we might as well do some spell practice.” Nayoung beckoned to Siyeon.

Siyeon sighed, then retreated back into her room. After a bit of bickering with a dejected Yebin, the four witches positioned themselves in front and behind Jieqiong and Eunwoo. The pair was still wearing their dragon hide armor as they were too sore to remove it earlier.

“No weapons?” Asked Eunwoo.

“Not right now,” said Nayoung. “We thought you should feel how it’s like to be hit by offensive spells. Then you can practice dodging and fighting. We’ll start off with elementary jinxes and curses. The purpose of these is to unbalance and disrupt your opponent.”

“Elementary does mean they’re easy to cast. Which also means these are easier to cast non-verbally and everyone knows them,” said Siyeon, as if reading Jieqiong’s mind.

“Ready?” Asked Nayoung. Everyone nodded. “1, 2, 3. Flipendo!”

Jieqiong closed her eyes and tensed her muscles. But she only felt a tickle. She opened her eyes in confusion.

“If you can’t dodge, orient your body to be struck on the armor. Remember, it will deflect most minor curses and jinxes,” said Nayoung. “We’ll do each spell once on your armor and once to your exposed skin.”

She and Siyeon raised their wands again. Jieqiong noticed Yebin and Yewon raise their wands as well. At Nayoung’s shout, Jieqiong could hear the rippling of wind and feel it punch her in the shoulder. She flew backwards off her feet with a yelp.

Bracing for impact, she felt none. She opened her eyes and saw herself floating, as if sitting on an airborne bean bag chair. Below was a white mist in the form of a shield flowing from Yebin’s wand, cushioning Jieqiong. Yebin lowered her wand and Jieqiong’s feet met the soft grass. From her left, she caught sight of Yewon helping Eunwoo down.

“Knockback Jinxes are commonly used in duels. It’s the easiest way to lose your footing. The two seconds it takes for you to fly elsewhere and get back up means your opponent could escape or inflict something worse,” said Nayoung.

“How about the Body-Bind Curse, next?” Asked Siyeon. “This one makes you immobile. Ready?” The Muggles nodded. “Petrificus Totalus.”

The curse hit Eunwoo straight in the abdomen. “I felt this one a bit more. It was like a poke.”

“The worse the spell, the harder it will be to deflect,” said Nayoung. “Though it would be good for you to fully understand the extent of spells used in dueling, we really don’t want to cast those on you. Just be aware though. Keep moving if you can. Now for the real thing.”

Nayoung and Siyeon raised their wands and jabbed the air silently. The spells hit the detectives square on the face. Jieqiong felt her body stiffen like a board and she toppled backward. Yebin caught her like in a trust fall and laid her gently on the grass. She tried to extend her arms, to shake her legs, to wiggle her fingers and toes. The only thing she could move was her eyes. It was oddly painful to not move. It was like an entire body cramp. She groaned in frustration, noticing her inability to speak. Yebin waved her wand and tapped Jieqiong’s head, releasing her from the curse. It was incredibly relieving to be able to flap her limbs freely.

“Still doing alright?” Asked Yewon. Jieqiong and Eunwoo huffed, but nodded.

“Great. This next one’s really popular. It’s a Stunning spell. It induces both paralysis and unconsciousness,” said Nayoung.

Again, the witches raised their wands. A loud “Stupefy” rung across the backyard. Jieqiong stood firm as a jet of red sparks hurdled towards her chest. To her pleasant surprise, this spell felt like two pokes at most.

“Dragons aren’t easy to subdue. Stunning annoys them. You need a whole crew of wizards shooting Stunners for it to be effective,” Nayoung explained, seeing Jieqiong’s expression.

The detectives readied themselves for another round of charms. A gleaming red jet shot out from Nayoung’s wand and hit Jieqiong in the neck, perfectly aimed above the collar of the chest plate. Unlike with the Body-Bind Curse, Jieqiong felt her body droop, as if stripped of all her muscles and bones. She felt nothing. It was terrifying to have no control. She recognized the blurred face of Yebin looming over her before darkness seeped into her vision.

“Rennervate,” said Yebin and Yewon in unison.

All feeling zapped back into Jieqiong’s limbs. She bolted upright and gasped, as if resuscitated from drowning. Nayoung knelt down beside her.

“There are worse things than this,” said Jieqiong knowingly.

“Much,” Nayoung frowned. “We haven’t even scratched the surface. This was all but two weeks’ worth of lessons over seven years of magical education. That doesn’t account for what you learn elsewhere.” She stretched out her hands to pull Jieqiong up from the ground.

“How about some blasting spells?” Suggested Siyeon. “Suspects have often blasted their surroundings to block our paths in a chase. If you’re not careful, the debris can hurt you and the dust can irritate your eyes. Anything that slows you down is deadly.”

Eunwoo voiced her relief at being a spectator instead of a target. Jieqiong stood stiffly, watching closely for any telltale signs of someone casting a blasting spell.

Yebin conjured what looked like baubles of paint. Nayoung pointed at one and shouted, “Confringo!” Yellow paint splattered an invisible wall protecting the witches. “Bombarda!” Siyeon jabbed her wand at two floating masses that exploded into red and green streaks.

Yebin then conjured a solid marble bust of herself. She smiled arrogantly at Siyeon, but her face dropped when Siyeon grinned nastily back. “Reducto!” The bust burst into fine particles floating in the air, raining down on a smug Siyeon like glitter. Yebin’s eye twitched.

Eunwoo was in awe at the sheer force of the spells. She could feel the backlash of wind from afar. Jieqiong was thinking hard. Spell casting seemed too erratic. She didn’t like when there weren’t patterns to follow. The previous spells required a human target. These blasting curses focused on inanimate objects. Jieqiong would just have to be cognizant of what her opponent was looking at. Although, she wouldn’t put it past Nightshade to try blasting a person.

~|~|~|~

Jieqiong glanced around the backyard as Eunwoo downed a goblet of water. It felt oddly empty with only two people missing. In the middle of the night, the Aurors had been called into the Ministry again. Jieqiong felt a bit guilty reminiscing when she and Eunwoo were that active on cases with the London Police. But sparring kept her busy.

Jieqiong practiced with the homing shuriken. She was able to put up more stars, but Eunwoo was too fast. The sixth star never locked into place. At the very least, Jieqiong could drain a bit of energy from her opponents. Eunwoo wielded the thunder spear with more confidence than the day prior. However, she didn’t have the strength to swing it around like Jieqiong. Yebin suggested breaking the spear in half as it detached in the middle of the shaft. Eunwoo could move quicker, but the effect was reduced. She set the spear halves down on a table.

“Try this.” Yebin held up one of two matching lighters. “Click it when you throw the shuriken.”

Eunwoo faced the open area. She swung her right hand toward a bush and clicked the lighter in her palm. The stars ignited as they encircled the bush. Eunwoo whipped her left hand forward, clicking a second lighter. The set of six formed an impenetrable fiery cage. The leaves browned as the life was out of them, then shriveled under the intense heat. Eunwoo flicked her wrist, summoning the shuriken back to her gloved hands.

“Sweet,” said Eunwoo in a low, drawn-out tone.

“Do I get a present?” Joked Jieqiong.

Yebin smiled. “You get a technique. I’ll show you how to make shields with the spear.”

Yebin took up Eunwoo’s discarded spear halves and Jieqiong broke hers into two. Jieqiong watched Yebin like a hawk, memorizing the witch’s complicated hand movements. Her flowing gestures contrasted with the jagged bolts of electricity harshly, yet elegantly, sliced into the air.

“Attack,” demanded Yebin.

Jieqiong jabbed her right hand forward, striking one of the shields with her own bolt of lightning. Sparks erupted as if she had blown a fuse box. Jieqiong jumped back in surprise. The remnants of her slash faded, but Yebin’s small shields remained. They glowed and pulsated with energy.

“Using the spear halves is quicker and allows you to make two shields at once. But they’re smaller and weaker than using the whole spear,” said Yebin, dropping her hands to her sides. The shields disintegrated.

Jieqiong nodded and carved a shield in front of her, making one with both spear halves rather than two. She moved quickly, striking lines of energy with her blades to interlock the patterns.

Yebin ed one of the short spears towards Jieqiong’s shield, which rebounded back into a fence. Yebin raised an eyebrow, her eyes locked on to the dead center of the shield. Jieqiong noticed it too. It was the single point that glowed brightest, like white-hot iron. Yebin then pulled her wand out of her pocket, pointed it at the dot, and shouted, “Expulso!”

Jieqiong was blinded by a burst of blue light and fell backward from an invisible force. The dirt trembled beneath her. She heard Eunwoo and Yewon scream. She coughed and scrambled to her feet, scanning the area for Yebin. Looking through the translucent electric shield, which was very much intact, she saw Yebin flat on her back, her left hand scorched.

“Yebin!” Jieqiong screeched and slashed through the shield from her side. She knelt down by the cackling witch. “What did I do to her? Has she gone mad?”

“I think she’s in shock,” muttered Yewon, kneeling on Yebin’s other side. She strained to control her voice, but never raised it in anger to Jieqiong.

Yebin quieted down as Yewon doused the trembling hand in a brown liquid. The scars steamed before melting away. The red flesh was soon covered by new pink skin, which thickened to a beige layer resembling the rest of the undamaged forearm.

“No worries,” laughed Yebin, earning an appalled look from Yewon.

Jieqiong lowered her head, feeling the crushing weight of her guilt. “I’m so sorry—”

“I don’t blame you,” said Yewon gently, though her eyes bored holes into Yebin. “You idiot!” She slapped her girlfriend on the newly healed arm. “Why would you use such a destructive curse?! You could have seriously hurt Jieqiong, and look what happened to you!”

“But did you see what Jieqiong made? That was a brilliant shield! I don’t even think Nayoung’s made one that strong before. Are you sure you’re not a witch and your parents just refused to send you to a crackpot school for magic without telling you?” Yebin propped herself up on her elbow and leaned nosily towards a scatterbrained Jieqiong.

“What— I— No! Your hand!” Jieqiong squeaked helplessly.

“Who needs to worry about flesh wounds when someone as wonderful as Yewon is my soulmate?” Yebin waved off. She meant to sound lighthearted, but her smile dropped seeing the glistening tears threatening to pour out of Yewon’s eyes. She quickly sat up, wrapping her arms around Yewon securely. “I’m fine. I’m fine because you’re here. I was never scared.”

“I was!” Snapped Yewon, but she buried her face in the crook of Yebin’s neck anyway. “Don’t you ever do that again,” she mumbled. Yebin nodded furiously.

Jieqiong’s knees gave way and she collapsed onto the grass. Eunwoo rested her arm loosely around Jieqiong’s shoulders. They heaved a huge sigh of relief.

~|~|~|~

“Jieqiong… Wake up… Jieqiong!”

Jieqiong flinched as someone shook her hard. Water splashed onto the tiled floor of the bathroom. She must have fallen asleep during her ice bath. Her muscles weren’t as sore, but her head felt groggy.

“Hmm… What? What’s going on?” She slurred, glancing towards the window. Twinkling stars sprinkled the dark sky. The moon was luminous and full.

Eunwoo’s face appeared in front of her. “Come on, we have to get downstairs.”

“Why?” Jieqiong still hadn’t gathered her bearings, but with Eunwoo’s help she clambered out of the bathtub wearing nothing but swimwear. She dried herself off and quickly changed.

“I’m not really sure. Yewon just started freaking out I guess. Yebin woke me up and told me to get you. Then she darted back down to her workshop,” Eunwoo said with her back turned to give Jieqiong some privacy.

“I’m done.” Jieqiong grabbed Eunwoo’s hand and pulled her to the door, which swung open automatically. “What’s the emergency?” She breathed as they ran to Yebin.

“It’s happening. Now. Get your armor,” ordered Yebin, shuffling around the room.

“What—”

“Nightshade. His army managed to reorganize and he’s breaking into the Ministry as we speak.” Yebin’s voice was low and steady, her words businesslike and concise.

Now fully alert, Jieqiong and Eunwoo rushed to the wire frames holding their armor, complete with new arm guards and boots. The weapons in Yebin’s arms clattered onto the table. Jieqiong and Eunwoo each grabbed a pair of gloves embroidered with insignias matching separate sets of shuriken, which clicked into their belts. They each grabbed a thunder spear, broke it in half, and inserted the blades horizontally into slots along the smalls of their backs.

“You haven’t used these before, but I doubt you need more instruction,” said Yebin hastily.

Jieqiong picked up two daggers shaped like large fangs with glowing runes across their surface. Eunwoo stuck a pair into slots behind her shoulder. Moving down the table, they swiftly picked up their guns and locked them into holsters.

“I’ve marked each of your guns with the same symbol as your throwing stars. If you’re disarmed by a spell, you can summon them back to your hands.”

Jieqiong allowed her fingers to gloss over the cool metal of the barrels before pulling on her gloves and rushing across the hall. Yewon strapped a harness around Eunwoo’s torso while Yebin helped Jieqiong. Identical tranquilizer rifles clicked into the strap along their backs.

“Listen carefully,” said Yewon urgently, facing Eunwoo towards Jieqiong. Yewon pointed at the row of small pouches lining the diagonal strap from Eunwoo’s left shoulder down to her right gun holster. “Your ammo is in the exact the order I showed you. Top four are bullets. Delirium, paralysis, shrapnel, venomous teeth. Next two are grenades. The red pouch is for Fire Salamanders, the blue is for Frost ones. Then the fanged darts.”

“And bottled death,” predicted Eunwoo, tugging at the last pouch.

Yewon nodded. “These are Mokeskin pouches. Only you two will be able to get ammo out of them. They’re charmed to give you one magazine, grenade, or dart at a time. It’s not unlimited, but there’s plenty. I suspect you won’t even make it through half the supply before you have to fight head on. This one on your waist has vials of a basic antidote for healing wounds and some smoke shield powder.”

Yebin ushered the two near a fireplace.

“Wait,” said Jieqiong restlessly. “For our own sanity, please explain what’s going on.”

“I had a funny feeling before going to bed.” Yewon spoke very quickly. “I went downstairs to check your equipment when Nayoung’s patronus—”

“Her what?” Interrupted Jieqiong.

“A spirit messenger guardian thingamabob,” cut in Yebin impatiently.

“Told me Nightshade’s army is ambushing the Ministry. We’re going to send you two through the Floo Network to a secured location,” finished Yewon in one breath.

Yebin grabbed a fistful of powder from a jar on the mantel and threw it in the fireplace just as Yewon swiped her wand over the general area, breaking a protective enchantment. Great green flames shot up into the chimney.

“Step inside, and shout ‘Chungha Kim’s office,’” instructed Yebin.

Jieqiong put a foot forward, then turned around. “Are you two coming with us?”

Yebin seemed to have stopped breathing. Her eyes glazed over. Yewon looked down. “I’m really sorry, but we can only help up until here. Good luck,” said Yebin with a small smile.

Jieqiong noticed Yebin’s voice shook, but that had to wait for another day. Because there would be another day. She and Eunwoo stepped into the flames. The detectives dropped a fistful of powder and whirled away into the ashes.

“Jieqiong! Eunwoo!”

The two tumbled out of a fireplace, coughing and wheezing on their knees. A pair of hands hoisted Jieqiong up onto her feet.

“Nayoung!” She gasped. “Siyeon!” The witch was locking a gun back into Eunwoo’s holster.

“They’re breaking through the barriers to the Atrium. We’re lucky they didn’t come to this fireplace as you two were traveling here,” said Nayoung, rushing to the door.

The four barreled down the hallway. Jieqiong took a second to appreciate Nayoung’s spell on their armor. The scales blended well with the dark stone bricks of the building. They stopped in front of the lift with a placard that read Level Two: Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

Siyeon repeatedly pushed the down arrow. A second later, the gate opened and the lift crashed at the last floor. “Watch out!” She leapt back to avoid the bits of metal clanging down the chute.

“Hold on,” Nayoung told Jieqiong. She held the detective by the waist and leaned forward, her wand hand held straight out. The pair zoomed down the chute at high speed. It wasn’t quite like Apparating. It felt more like Jieqiong was being dragged against an air current in a wind tunnel. Nayoung stuck her foot out and used the momentum to run forward. Siyeon and Eunwoo followed soon after.

“This way.” Siyeon beckoned to the others around a corner and ran behind what looked like a window displaying a hurricane. The floor of the hidden passage steadily increased in elevation.

When they emerged, Jieqiong and Eunwoo found themselves overlooking the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic. Black stones lined the walls here too, camouflaging all four of them.

Nayoung turned abruptly. “Try to stay up high. Your guns and rifles work best from a distance, where nobody can touch you. Do as much damage as you can. They won’t be stupid enough to let you shoot from above forever.”

Siyeon muttered under her breath and twirled her wand around Jieqiong and Eunwoo. They felt a bit lighter, but nothing else changed. When she was done, Nayoung tugged at Jieqiong’s wrist, leading her to the right hall of the Atrium. Siyeon scurried to the left with Eunwoo in tow.

As they reached an outcropping above stone pillars, Nayoung stopped and turned to Jieqiong. They stared at each other for a few seconds, prolonging their time before separating. Nayoung opened , but no sound came out. Her eyes wavered between Jieqiong’s.

“I’m ready,” said Jieqiong. “We’re going to fight, all four of us, and we’re all going to make it out of here. You’ll get to meet Sungyeon and Kyla, without a single scratch marring my babies’ faces. And you’re going to buy me my first Butterbeer because Merlin knows I’ll need a drink after this.” Jieqiong looked straight at Nayoung with burning determination.

Nayoung broke into a quivering smile. “Butterbeer has a low alcohol content for humans.”

“Go,” whispered Jieqiong, feeling her eyes sting. She crouched behind an ivory gargoyle.

“Hey,” Nayoung whispered back.

Jieqiong turned to tell her to skedaddle, but the words caught in . Nayoung pressed her soft lips to Jieqiong’s cheek, squeezed her hand, then ran down another secret passage. Jieqiong’s heart ached. This was not goodbye. She took a deep breath and steeled herself for battle. She leaned over the railing to peer down at the floor.

A mass of Aurors held their wands high, some wearing protective cloaks, others dressed like Muggles similar to Nayoung and Siyeon. At the center was a tall wizard in elaborate navy robes that shimmered like water. Jieqiong supposed he was the Minister for Magic. A witch to his right insisted he flee, but he refused to leave their side. Jieqiong saw Nayoung and Siyeon join the crowd. A short witch with catlike eyes spoke and the two nodded. The witch glanced up at Jieqiong’s exact position, then across the Atrium at Eunwoo, and gave Nayoung half a smile.

Jieqiong scanned as much of the area as she could. There were escape routes on either side of her. Certain tiles were pushed forward, resembling the secret passages Siyeon and Nayoung went through. In front of the Aurors was a long hallway. Jieqiong remembered drawing rectangles on a sheet of paper. These must be the fireplaces connected to the Floo Network.

The Atrium was actually a combination of several miniature floors. While the main area was open and vast, the walls were lined with sections of small windows, supposedly offices for various Ministry workers. At the center of the Atrium was a golden fountain filled with sparkling coins. There was a flat pedestal in the middle, but no statue stood upon it. The fountain must have been a remnant from a previous structure.

Jieqiong examined it as closely as she could from where she was perched. A strange glowing crack had split the pedestal, but none of the Aurors noticed. Except Nayoung. They shared a significant look. Nayoung turned to alert the others. Jieqiong waved at Eunwoo across the giant hall and pointed down at the fountain. Eunwoo held up her thumb. They simultaneously reached for their rifles. Jieqiong pulled out a Runespoor dart by the tuft. She loaded the rifle and steadied it on the gargoyle’s shoulder, aiming at the fountain.

A deafening boom shook the whole chamber. Some of the Aurors yelled and held their wands higher. Jieqiong grabbed onto the gargoyle’s ear to steady herself. One of the distant stone pillars had a long fracture running along its length. A second boom sounded. Then a third.

“Expulso!”

Jieqiong instinctually dove by the wall upon hearing the incantation, covering her head with her arms. The roof serving as her vantage point stopped shaking enough for her to crawl towards the gargoyle. She had never seen anything like it.

The crack in the pedestal had split the entire fountain into two. Water sprayed everywhere. A gaping hole spread in the center, like a gateway to the underworld. Wizards and witches poured out of the hole, cackling and howling like spawns of Satan, ready to wreak havoc on the Ministry. Before they were fully out of the hole, they shot jets of sparks at the Aurors. The Aurors conjured shields of light, deflecting the curses, and shot back a mass of Stunners.

Jieqiong aimed her rifle at the hole. There were so many people spilling out, she was bound to hit someone. She pulled the trigger, she heard a swoosh of air, and she saw one of the dark wizards tip backwards into the giant well, clawing at his neck.

Jieqiong grabbed another dart and fired. Then another. And another. Nightshade’s followers all dropped back into the ditch, some dragging others along with them. She saw people running towards the Aurors, brandishing their wands with fiery whips extending from the tips.

Jieqiong shifted her rifle down to her hip and pulled out a gun, inserting a magazine of Streeler shell bullets. She aimed at the advancing crazed crowd and shot three times. Those closest to her skidded across the floor, scars etched across their faces, their robes torn to shreds. Where there was blood dripping, a small shard of a toxic shell oozed out green goo. Their skin hissed on contact. People tripped over each other in the stampede. Jieqiong emptied her magazine of the last few bullets, bringing down another group of ten.

The empty magazine clattered at her feet and she inserted a new one filled with bullets coated in a novel Sneezewort potion. Bang. A wizard held his wand arm in pain, crossed his eyes, then started shooting spells at his comrades. Bang. A witch put up a shield, deflecting her side’s curses back at them. Bang bang bang. Three wizards dropped to the floor, crushing their wands under their weight and began shouting odd orders to the others.

Jieqiong loaded one gun with the Doxy teeth bullets, the other with Henbane, and stowed them away. She loaded the rifle with another Runespoor fang dart and swung it around her shoulder. She moved around the banisters and pulled out a red grenade. She tugged on the pin and launched the lemon-sized projectile with all her might at the edge of the broken fountain. Flames burst up as high as her perch before expanding outwards. Seven large Fire Salamanders crawled out from the light, trampling over anyone in the vicinity.

“Put those damn fires out!” Someone barked.

Jieqiong heard shouts of “Aqua Eructo” and jets of water sprayed at the advancing beasts, the fire, and at any Auror who got in the way. The salamanders shriveled up. Before the fire was extinguished, Eunwoo had thrown a Frost Salamander grenade at the other end of the hall. Seven blue monsters with icicles for dorsal spines waddled out of a crystalline structure, their footsteps freezing the stone floor in their wakes. Their large jaws opened wide to feed.

“Incendio!” Nightshade’s followers roared. The ice cave melted as did the salamanders.

But the chaos was enough. In that time, Jieqiong had unloaded another dart and one magazine full of bullets. She heard shots fire repeatedly from Eunwoo’s end of the Atrium. Looking down, she saw three witches barrel out of Nayoung’s path as she blasted them away with her wand. Siyeon hit a wizard with a spell between the eyes. She ducked just as he shot a curse straight ahead, resulting in friendly fire. Both wizards toppled over holding their eyes and Siyeon moved further into the fray. Nayoung and Siyeon stood back to back, firing hexes in a wide radius.

“You lot! Move!” Shouted a thickset man, pointing his wand towards Nayoung and Siyeon.

Jieqiong ran around a gargoyle to a balcony closer to the fountain. She stuffed her hand into the pouch at her waist, feeling a divider. Choosing a side at random, she pulled out a small vial filled to the brim with white powder. She remembered Yewon’s contraption making a box of these the first time she and Eunwoo visited the house. She aimed at the cluster of dark wizards.

The glass vial shattered across the floor. A mushroom cloud of thick smoke black as midnight rose into the air. The wizards coughed and flapped their arms around, but the smoke was not disturbed. It merely rose higher, blinding everyone nearby. Jieqiong saw flashes of light within the cloud. A second later the smoke diffused, revealing a pile of unconscious bodies.

“Imbeciles!” The thickset man growled. Despite having a wand, he swung his other arm around and punched a wizard straight in the teeth. The Auror slid across the floor on his back and groaned, holding his bloody jaw.

Without hesitating, Jieqiong pulled out three darts between her fingers. In quick succession, she shot all three at the muscular arm of the dark wizard giving orders. The moment the last dart penetrated his skin, Jieqiong knew this was a mistake.

The wizard searched the air in the direction the darts had come from, snarled at Jieqiong, and plucked the darts out of his bicep. They seemed to have had no effect despite being emptied of their serum. He raised his wand slowly and bellowed, “Deprimo!”

Jieqiong ran back towards the closest passage in the brick wall. She was only a meter away when the roof of the stone pillars crumbled beneath her feet. Her nails scratched the railing as she fell below the level of her perch. Shutting her eyes, she braced for the shin-splitting impact. But instead of crashing to the ground, she drifted down at a moderate speed. This must have been the spell Siyeon put on her and Eunwoo before they split up.

As soon as her feet touched the floor, Jieqiong dove behind the torso of a fallen gargoyle. She swung the rifle around her back. It was no good now. She jammed a new magazine into her empty gun and raised both above the gargoyle. She shot in the wizard’s general direction until the magazines were empty. Daring to look, she peered around the debris. The wizard had slumped over on top of two witches, his body completely paralyzed from the extract of Henbane. Another pack of followers behind him had also toppled to the floor while dueling.

“Allo, nice of you to drop by where you’re not wanted!”

Jieqiong gasped as a man grabbed her neck from behind and dragged her away from her hiding spot. Struggling for air, she couldn’t help but think the voice was awfully familiar.

“Tyranno!” She wheezed in disgust, elbowing the wizard in the gut.

His grip tightened. “Ain’t anyone ever told you it’s rude to barge in uninvited!”

Jieqiong stopped tugging on Tyranno’s arms around her neck and reached over her shoulder. With a nasty squelch, she swiped her hand up and a rune dagger loosened from its slot. She spun around and took out the other dagger.

“How dare you…” Tyranno growled like an animal, dropping his hand from his face. His cheek had a horrible gash from his ear to his chin.

Jieqiong glanced at the dagger in her hand. It was drenched in blood that was absorbed by the blade. The glowing cyan runic inscriptions turned red until the last drop of blood was gone. Jieqiong could feel the blade vibrating in her hand. As if it possessed its own intelligence, the dagger dragged Jieqiong’s hand forward. Her feet followed sloppily and she lunged at Tyranno. The dagger cut into his wrist. He dropped his wand at the sudden sharp pain. Instantly Jieqiong knelt down and stabbed the other dagger at the ground, splintering the wand into two.

“No!” Tyranno howled. And this time, it did sound like a real howl.

Jieqiong’s eyes widened in horror as Tyranno slashed at her with what was now closer to a paw than a hand. The dagger flung away and impaled itself in a pillar, completely unretrievable. Tyranno’s clothes ripped as his limbs grew. His face elongated into a snout. His ears were pointed and migrated higher up his skull. His hair shortened and his entire body was soon covered in matted fur. With a feral snarl, Tyranno stared at Jieqiong with one glossy eye and lurched at her hand, snapping his sharp jaws.

Jieqiong screeched and swung her remaining dagger. The blade lodged itself grotesquely in his snout. While he howled and clawed at his face, Jieqiong darted towards the crowd.

“You didn’t tell me werewolves were real!” Shouted Jieqiong as Nayoung pulled her down to avoid jets of sparks.

“What?” Said Nayoung urgently.

“Tyranno! He’s a— Behind you!”

Nayoung jabbed her wand over her shoulder and Tyranno was sent flying back into a pillar. The once beautiful structure crumbled on top of him, trapping his body underneath. His growls were muffled by the stone blocks and the constant shouting of incantations.

Nayoung pulled Jieqiong up with one arm while deflecting spells with the other. Jieqiong saw a witch raise her wand out of the corner of her eye. She swiftly unsheathed two blades from the small of her back, attached them at the bases, and slashed up at the air. The thunder spear let out a crack as the bolt of lightning not only broke through the witch’s curse, but blasted her back into the hole of the fountain.

“Duck!” Yelled Nayoung.

She grabbed Jieqiong’s wrist and pulled her down behind another fallen pillar. An explosion rocked the floor and Jieqiong saw the opposite side of the Atrium burst into ashes.

“Eunwoo…” Jieqiong gasped and shot out towards the explosion.

Nayoung tugged her back harshly as two hexes crossed her path. “She’s fine. Siyeon’s got her.”

Jieqiong looked to where Nayoung was pointing. Sure enough, Eunwoo was far from the explosion, fighting back to back with Siyeon. The Auror whipped her wand around expelling bursts of purple energy towards anyone who got near them. Eunwoo’s hands were blurs as she swung star after star up into the air. It seemed Siyeon had time to duplicate the shuriken as there were many more than six high above the crowd. When a good fifteen or so were in position, they locked into a fiery web. All at once wisps emanated from the faces of witches and wizards below. The shuriken grew in size as they fed off the energy. The flaming cage lowered to ground level. It absorbed any and all spells cast at its bars. Jieqiong saw a few wizards blur and heard loud cracks echo off the walls, but they were still trapped. They couldn’t Disapparate.

“Stay close,” said Nayoung in that commanding, carrying voice.

Jieqiong and Nayoung rushed towards an advancing pack of Nightshade’s followers. To their surprise, the entire front line of people flipped upside down and were hanging by their ankles. Jieqiong glanced over her shoulder when she felt a rush of air behind them.

“Leave it to Chungha to cast Levicorpus all over the place like it’s her first time using a wand,” smirked Nayoung, watching after the witch who dashed around levitating more people with a spring in her step. She was much too happy for someone in the midst of a battle.

Jieqiong didn’t have time to return an amused smile when she felt a volley of spells hit her back. She spun around and sliced her spear through the air without looking. Three wizards put up magical shields to deflect their own spells violently rebounding from the electricity. Jieqiong broke her spear in half and carved a giant shield in front of her and Nayoung. By the time the wizards shot new curses their way, Jieqiong jabbed a blade at the glowing white-hot center of her shield. It burst forth like a battering ram, easily deflecting the spells, and clashed with the wizards. Their bodies flung back into piles of rubble, their robes singed.

Nayoung severed two witches’ wands with a particularly strong spell and turned to Jieqiong. “Are you sure your parents didn’t just refuse your enrollment at Hogwarts?”

Jieqiong grinned and cut a bolt of lightning across an incoming yellow-trailed jinx. The impact resulted in a shower of orange sparks. “Strange. I heard something similar just hours ago.” She threw up a grenade and slashed at it with her spear. Several small fires rained down upon the crowd, each spawning a pair of salamanders.

Nayoung ran ahead and Jieqiong followed. The detective chanced a look over her shoulder and noticed a witch shoot an angry red arrow of light at their backs. Jieqiong sprinted and tackled Nayoung. The arrow whizzed over their heads.

Nayoung groaned. “What—”

“Oh my God,” gasped Jieqiong, staring wide-eyed at a screaming Auror with a hole bored through his thigh. His flesh and bone seemed to be incinerated on the inside. “That’s not supposed to happen to a femur,” she babbled in shock.

“Keep moving.” Nayoung shoved Jieqiong along.

An explosion rocked the lobby again and a giant pillar separated the pair. Nayoung couldn’t move as a nearby wizard created a whirlwind of spells which shot out in random directions hitting friends and foes. Nayoung hit a Stunning Spell to his face and he dropped to the floor, but  the whirlwind persisted.

Jieqiong sheathed her thunder spear halves and pulled out her guns. She shot at the feet of anyone who met her eye. They recoiled and their spells flew off target. They fell onto their backs, grasping their feet. Jieqiong could see the vile white Doxy teeth bullets Yewon had manufactured. Within seconds, the enemy began seizing and squealing from the venom.

When she thought the coast was clear, another wizard jumped down from the second level of offices and cried, “Expelliarmus!”

Jieqiong’s guns flew out of her hands and clattered across the dusty floor. She reached behind to unsheathe a spear half and instead grabbed a throwing star. She flung it forwards and it stopped right in front of the wizard’s face. A blurred mass seeped from his visage to the star. He slumped to the ground immediately. The star returned and she clicked it into her belt. She flicked her wrists and both of her disarmed guns flew back to her waiting hands.

Jieqiong turned around to check on Nayoung, who was still battling the whirlwind of spells with four other Aurors. Movement from the giant pit caught Jieqiong’s eye. Her heart plummeted. She vaulted over the fallen pillar and ran between the fountain and Nayoung.

“Crucio!”

An ear-splitting shriek deafened Nayoung. She spun on her heels and found Jieqiong writhing in agony at her feet. She tried to help Jieqiong up, but the woman just clawed back at her. Anything that touched her seemed to cause excruciating pain. Nayoung gritted her teeth and slashed her wand out in pure rage. Jieqiong was gasping and sobbing, but was no longer under the Unforgivable Curse.

A terrifying cackle rung through the hall, silencing all shouts, ending all duels. Siyeon ran up next to Nayoung. The Aurors shielded Jieqiong while Eunwoo crouched down by her side.

“How lovely for you to join us, Minister,” Nightshade drawled as he stood on the fountain’s edge.

The Minister raised his wand and all the remaining Aurors followed, ignoring Nightshade’s followers who pointed their wands at the Aurors’ necks.

“Ah, ah, ah,” tutted Nightshade arrogantly. “You wouldn’t want them to be hurt, would you?”

To everyone’s horror, two lifeless bodies floated up through the hole in the ground. They settled in mid-air, rotating on either side of Nightshade.

Insane cackling filled the Atrium, Nightshade’s followers echoing his satisfaction. “We’ve all got things to do, places to be, people to see. I’ll make it simple. Your life for theirs.”

Jieqiong felt hot tears dripping off the side of her head as she lay flat on her back, staring up at an unconscious Sungyeon and Kyla. Eunwoo had stopped breathing beside her.

Nightshade looked adoringly at the Minister’s still hand. “The age old question,” he sneered seriously, all amusement extinguished from his voice. “Whose blood is worth more? Yours, from a long line of Purebloods, or a filthy Muggle’s?” His mouth morphed into a disgusted grimace and he swung his wand arm down, as if smashing a vase on the ground. Sungyeon’s and Kyla’s bodies dropped unceremoniously onto the rubble. Several of the Aurors gasped and growled.

Eunwoo felt movement under her hands. “Jieqiong, don’t move. You’re really—”

Jieqiong gripped Eunwoo’s shoulder tightly. “Star… Nightshade… Feet…” She whispered in a broken, hoarse voice.

Eunwoo stared at her best friend for a second too long. Jieqiong dug her nails into one of Eunwoo’s wrist and pointed it in the direction of the wreckage Nightshade was standing on. Eunwoo immediately grasped all of her shuriken and discreetly slid them across the dark wood floor. They hovered at the base of the rubble like tiny toy drones.

At Jieqiong’s insistence, Eunwoo supported her weight and dragged her up to a standing position. Jieqiong’s eyebrows furrowed not from the pain, but in confusion. The shuriken weren’t any energy out of Nightshade at all.

“You have no right to endanger these innocent people,” came a deep, booming voice.

“Is that so? I, a wizard most powerful and born with this ability, have no right? You are blinded,” Nightshade hissed. “We are elevated humans. We are evolved. We do not suffer at the hands of Muggle afflictions—”

“We have our own flaws!” Bellowed the Minister. “You are a damned fool to believe you are inherently better because you live in a different world.”

“What a weak thing to believe in,” said Nightshade. “You want to play equals with vermin like them? Fine. But I don’t see you offering yourself in their stead.” His voice echoed off the walls.

Someone moved across the hall, lurking in the shadows. Jieqiong clenched her fists in fury.

“That coward,” Jieqiong gritted through her teeth. Eunwoo looked over in alarm. “That’s an illusion. The real Nightshade won’t even show his face to threaten us all. That slime will pay.” With renewed strength, Jieqiong detached her rifle and dug into the last pouch of her harness.

“Are you insane?” Whispered Eunwoo, grabbing onto Jieqiong’s elbow.

Jieqiong slowly turned to face Eunwoo. Her eyes were sunken and dark. “Do not stop me.”

Eunwoo looked deep into Jieqiong’s eyes, then inhaled deeply. “Alright,” she said in a resigned voice. She released Jieqiong’s arm and stared ahead. She clasped her hands behind her back to show she wouldn’t interfere.

Jieqiong inserted the dart, its graphite gray contents sloshing around in the syringe. She subtly raised the rifle so that the muzzle pointed just between Nayoung and Siyeon’s shoulders.

“Muggle scum only deserve to live if they grovel at our feet. Oh, how you tremble at those words. Weak! You have no spine, Minister! I will bring glory to the Wizarding World!”

She aimed the rifle at a green light drifting along the shadows.

“Let the new reign begin,” announced Nightshade with a demented grin. “Avada Kedavra!”

Jieqiong pulled the trigger.

The entire room gasped as Nightshade’s image dissolved into smoke. His followers turned their heads to search for their master. Aurors moved to scour the room for his presence. But the Minister saw. He rushed over to a body that had fallen limp and was now seizing uncontrollably. Nightshade was foaming at the mouth, his shouts garbled into chokes.

“Chain him up and ship him to St. Mungo’s. I want him alive when he’s sealed in a cell at Azkaban,” ordered the Minister.

Jieqiong dropped her rifle and shoved past Nayoung and Siyeon. She limped a few meters to the base of the debris before collapsing onto her hands and knees. She crawled up to the two unconscious bodies and brushed the hair out of their pallid faces.

Eunwoo rushed to her side, tears streaming down her face. She pressed two fingers to Sungyeon’s neck, trying to feel for a heartbeat. It was extremely faint, but it was there. Jieqiong was cradling Kyla in her arms and sobbing into the junior detective’s coat. Eunwoo tried to get Jieqiong to release her to check for a pulse.

“Jieqiong, let go. They’re going to be alright, but you need to let the Healers take them. They’ll be treated at the hospital. They’re safe,” pleaded Nayoung softly.

Jieqiong dug her face into Kyla’s unresponsive shoulder before turning to Nayoung. The witch wrapped her long, strong arms around Jieqiong and let the woman cry her heart out.

Eunwoo heaved a deep sigh. She looked up when she felt a pat on her shoulder. Siyeon offered her a weak smile before bringing her into a comforting hug.

“And who are you two?” Said a deep voice from behind.

Nayoung and Siyeon snapped their heads towards the Minister for Magic standing amongst the piles of stones. But they did not stand at attention as they usually would have. They remained on the ground next to the Eunwoo and Jieqiong, who both froze at their friends’ side.

“Sir,” Siyeon began.

“Two Muggles? Here in the heart of Britain’s magical governing establishment? With a hundred or so dark wizards and witches present, no less.” His voice was gentle, but demanded respect.

Jieqiong glanced around the Atrium. All of the Aurors were watching them closely. They all stood guard over clumps of Nightshade’s followers, who had glowing chains around their wrists and necks. She supposed they wouldn’t be able to Disapparate at the very least.

Jieqiong turned towards the Minister. “W-we had to fight,” she said in a strained voice.

“Did you?” He glanced down at the two unconscious women. “Your friends,” he stated simply.

Nayoung looked up. “We know it was reckless to involve them, but—”

“But you brought them into the fray anyway,” finished the Minister. He did not look angry though.

“Magical or not, all life is precious.” Nayoung met the Minister’s eyes as she recited his motto. “Jieqiong and Eunwoo felt their lives were worth risking to save their friends. Of course we wanted to protect them, but we had no right to stop them.”

“Rights,” murmured the Minister. The corner of his lips curved upwards. “Now that is the correct usage of the word, Im.” His eyes shifted to Eunwoo before lingering on Jieqiong. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “For the first time in our history, two Muggles will receive an Order of Merlin, First Class.”

The Atrium erupted in cheers and hoots. The Aurors began applauding. The Minister let out a deep, vibrant chuckle. He then beckoned over the Healers.

Jieqiong couldn’t hear anything. She reached over and brushed her thumb over a clotted scar on Kyla’s cheek. She wrapped her shaking fingers around one of Sungyeon’s outstretched hands, tearing up at the bruising around both wrists from magical restraints. They both felt cold to the touch. “You’re going to be fine,” Jieqiong whispered.

“The Healers will take care of them,” Nayoung spoke into Jieqiong’s ear.

“Wait.” Jieqiong looked over at an exhausted Siyeon. “I need to ask you for a favor.”

“Anything,” croaked Siyeon.

Jieqiong looked down at Kyla and Sungyeon with a mother’s gaze. “Make them forget.”

Siyeon smiled sadly at Jieqiong and nodded. She inhaled as if bracing herself for something. Then she held up her wand, swept it over the young detectives, and said, “Obliviate.”

~|~|~|~

“This is fantastic,” said Jieqiong, savoring the sweet, frothy beverage. “I think I like it hot better.”

“I told you. Pumpkin juice is great, but nothing beats Butterbeer,” grinned Nayoung. She clinked glasses with Jieqiong and they each took a sip.

“Present,” Yebin coughed obnoxiously as she passed.

Nayoung rolled her eyes in amusement. “Accio.” A flat box wrapped in shiny apple-red paper flew from under the tree into Nayoung’s hand. “Merry Christmas,” she said shyly.

Jieqiong excitedly took the box and unwrapped it carefully. Nayoung nervously gulped half her Butterbeer in anticipation. She finally set her glass down in relief when Jieqiong’s eyes lit up instantly. Jieqiong held up an elegant black halter dress, letting it unravel over her lap.

Jieqiong beamed at Nayoung. “It’s beautiful,” she said with stars in her eyes.

“Like you.” Nayoung’s eyes widened like a cartoon. She wanted to jump in front of a Bludger for such a cliché response. Lucky for her, the urge was stifled by Jieqiong’s twinkling giggle.

“You, um, you got something there.”

“Where?” Asked Nayoung cluelessly.

Jieqiong sighed with a bright smile. Leaning forward, she brushed her thumb over the corner of Nayoung’s lip and the Butterbeer froth off her finger innocently. Nayoung flushed scarlet.

“Thank you for the dress,” Jieqiong winked and kissed the spot where the froth had been.

“A-anything for you, love,” Nayoung stuttered, setting off Jieqiong’s twinkling giggle again. Nayoung cleared and wrapped her arm around Jieqiong’s waist. “Your friends seem to be taking this quite well.”

“Yeah. I mean it’s great, but I was kind of hoping to be the one in the know,” said Jieqiong, leaning into her girlfriend’s embrace.

Nayoung kissed Jieqiong’s temple and glanced around the living room.

“This is my baby,” squealed Yebin, wiping a fake tear from her eye.

“Extraordinary. His skin cells must function similarly to Thermus aquaticus. Of course not entirely, they’re from different domains, assuming that a magical beast is considered an animal. But at least in thermophilic qualities…”

“Uh…”

Eunwoo pushed Siyeon’s jaw up with her index finger. She laughed at the witch’s dumbfounded expression. “Kyla entered the police force with a degree in forensic science before switching over to criminal investigations.” Siyeon slowly turned to face Eunwoo, her neck creaking slightly. “She knows a lot about living things so she often goes off on tangents,” Eunwoo simplified.

“Uh huh,” Siyeon hummed as she watched the youngest detective pet the drooling salamander resting in the fireplace. “I wonder…”

“Don’t even think about it,” Eunwoo deadpanned and sipped from her steaming mug.

“Think about what?” Siyeon said innocently.

“Yebin told me this fireplace was barred from the Floo Network. So you can’t just throw some powder into it and send Fluffy Jr. to the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures,” said Eunwoo, marveling at how the words rolled off her tongue so easily now.

Siyeon pulled Eunwoo into a back hug and lolled her forehead onto Eunwoo’s shoulder, sighing dramatically in defeat. “Having two pets in the house is such a nuisance.”

Eunwoo rubbed Siyeon’s arm wrapped around her stomach. “Be nice, Yebin’s not that bad.” Eunwoo grinned to herself when she felt Siyeon press a soft kiss to the base of her neck.

“Can’t I trade her in for a Knarl?” Siyeon pouted, finally sounding her age for once.

Eunwoo stared at the ceiling until she remembered what a Knarl was. “No,” she said, feeling guilty that she hadn’t said no immediately after Siyeon wanted to trade Yebin in the first place.

“Alright. Yewon can drag Yebin and Fluffy Jr. to your apartment, and you and Jieqiong can move in here!” Siyeon seemed overly proud of her own proposal.

Eunwoo choked on her Butterbeer. “That escalated quickly.”

In the corner by the frosted window, Sungyeon and Yewon hung up glossy baubles and strung up decorations on the Christmas tree.

“Am I seeing things, or are your lights moving?” Asked Sungyeon, tilting her head.

“Oh, those are Fairies. Stunning, aren’t they?” Smiled Yewon.

Sungyeon’s eyes traveled to the tree where a high-pitched buzzing indicated laughter.

“Fairies are vain, they love to be complimented,” whispered Yewon, eyeing their brighter glow.

Sungyeon raised her eyebrow and leaned forward. “The tree wouldn’t look half as phenomenal as it does if it weren’t for all of you,” she said to a nearby Fairy.

The Fairy giggled, flitted over to a few of its friends, and they all trailed into the hollow star in Sungyeon’s hands. Yewon conjured a stepladder and gave an encouraging nod. Sungyeon smiled as she gently positioned the now shining star on top of the tree.

Yebin sauntered over to the couch where Siyeon and Eunwoo joined Jieqiong and Nayoung. She stretched her short arms over all of their shoulders and butted her head in between Jieqiong and Eunwoo. Siyeon grumbled under her breath.

“I, the almighty Yebin, am the best Cupid in the universe.”

“It’s December,” said Eunwoo.

“Cupid doesn’t take vacations,” countered Yebin.

“But you didn’t introduce us,” said Jieqiong.

“Technicalities,” Yebin waved off. Her nonchalant expression turned into a smirk. “So when’s the baby shower?”

“Excuse me?” Choked Nayoung, almost slopping Butterbeer over herself.

“Well I’m obviously going to be the godmother to your children, aren’t I?” Yebin flipped her hair.

“We don’t have any children,” Siyeon, Eunwoo, Jieqiong, and Nayoung chorused.

Yebin laughed airily. “Yet.”

A/N: Some comments...

(1) Main story's done! And for my own sanity, I have a bit more side-stuff to add before I close "Coffee and Criminals" for good.

(2) Pledis Girlz sell out their Bye and Hi concert, rendering me a bawling proud mother hen in a public restaurant. Pledis Girlz will announce their debut name at said concert that I have zero chance of attending. And said group of fabulous life wreckers comes out with a cover video of Seventeen's song. Excuse you, Christmas is a once-a-year holiday!

(3) Happy New Year! Hope all of your wishes come true in 2017!