Chapter Fifteen
Confronting the Faceless 💀 CompleteDecember 5-10, 1997
"We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided"
The Order of the Phoenix is, generally speaking, pretty awesome. Kent had spent his first few days as a new recruit sleeping on Laurel and Eric Hobbes' couch while a few other Order members set up defenses around his and Drake's apartment to keep out anyone looking to do harm to either of them. Drake and Evera had set up in Jacob Fawley's place, which Kent hadn't liked considering the romantic history between his sister and his former Gryffindor teammate, but Evera had reported afterwards that Jacob had been a perfect gentleman, and Drake had backed her up.
During the week that he was staying with the Hobbes family, Kent had spent most of his time dueling with Laurel to stay sharp, babysitting their five year old daughter Victoria, and learning what exactly his new role is going to be, now that he's rather spectacularly quit his day job.
For the most part it's involved trudging around the woods and fighting off Snatchers to protect Muggleborns on the run. Occasionally it means undercover missions trying to locate Deatheater gathering places to try and collect information on what the Dark Lord and his inner circle are up to, since that crowd has been unnervingly quiet since the Ministry takeover.
Information gathering outings are rare though, on account of the Order's Ministry insider Kingsley Shacklebolt being the guy primarily in charge of collecting that intel, which makes sense as he's quite good at it.
That isn't to say that Kent doesn't have some... critiques of the Order. Now that he's been an active member for just over a month, he can say rather confidently that the leadership of the Order is haphazard at best, and nonexistent at worst. As far as he can tell, Dumbledore's death left a power vacuum that no one really knows how to fill. The best people for the job are all tied up with other things - Kingsley with his spying, McGonagall with Hogwarts, and Snape with being a backstabbing traitor (to quote Nymphdora Tonks) - and while the Weasleys are doing their best to be the primary coordinators, it's clear neither Arthur nor Molly are cut out for the job despite their best efforts.
It isn't such a huge deal though - the members of the Order of the Phoenix are all very competent individuals and everyone tends to break into groups of their own accord for missions so the lack of a power hierarchy hasn't stopped them from doing quite a bit of good since Kent joined up. Plus, the lack of bosses means he gets to keep teaming up with Drake and Evera for Snatcher missions, which is a lot of fun.
Laurel, he's noticed, usually takes former Gryffindor Quidditch players for her jobs, and the Weasleys all work with each other, with one - two? - major exception that honestly doesn't surprise Kent all that much considering he's heard that the Weasley twins have always been good at making new friends.
In this case, the new friend is another 'Ministry Insider' sort who doesn't officially run with the Order but who works closely with them nonetheless. Her name is Zoe Wentworth and she works as a photographer for the Daily Prophet, and as such has access to the news before anyone else does. She uses this access to keep tabs on the Snatchers' successes as well as what the opposition is saying, and she drops by the Weasley house every few weeks to supply the twins with the material. The twins then put it to use in what Kent honestly thinks is the most functional and consistently helpful part of the Order: the Potterwatch.
Started by the twins and their best friend and technical director Lee Jordan, the Watch is a secret radio show hosted by the Order that keeps sympathizers aware of everything going on in the wizarding world. Between Zoe's Prophet tip-offs and the intel from regular guest presenter Leona Poole from the Wizarding Wireless Network, the Watch consistently has enough information to broadcast twice a month at least. Kent hasn't seen the setup himself just yet, but he's hopeful he'll get to guest on the show eventually, and before the Weasleys inevitably have to abandon the Burrow and possibly stop Potterwatch broadcasting.
Which is Kent's other major contention with the Order: they don't actually have a proper HQ. Laurel had mentioned they used to, but it had been compromised by Yaxley back in September& in a series of events that no one seems to really understand, and now the Order meets in the Burrow bi-monthly to share information and plan attacks against the Dark Lord's forces. It's a piss-poor system in Kent's opinion, especially considering the Weasleys are under watch and will have to go into hiding sooner rather than later, but it's working well enough that he's only mentioned it in passing to Drake and Evera while they're out on raids.
Overall though, he can't complain. They've defended countless Muggleborns and put multiple Snatchers into Mungo's where they can't cause any more trouble for at least a few weeks while they recover. He's gotten to crash a Deatheater gathering in Northern Ireland, throwing off a plan to raze a Muggle village and scattering the goons well enough that no attempt has been made against Ireland since.
Really, the only thing that's been consistently annoying is the weather.
"Ugh, it's raining again?" Drake groans one day as he, Kent, and Evera crouch on a rooftop across from Borgin and Burkes. They're spying on Lucius Malfoy, wh's reappeared after being off the radar for several months, and about thirty minutes into the stake out the sky had opened up. "Isn't December supposed to have snow?"
"Too warm for snow." Evera grumbles, holding her wand over her head to create a barrier against the weather. "We did have that flurry last week, but it's weirdly mild this year."
"And they say we're going through a global cooling event." Kent jokes lightly. "Well, at least there's no ice up here. That's something."
"Ice wouldn't be ruining my hair." Drake says sadly as he finally gets his own barrier up too late to prevent his curly locks from sticking to his face. "I'm going to catch flu this year. It'll be the first time since before Hogwarts I've ever gotten sick. I'm calling it now."
Kent laughs. "If you do I'm moving in with Evera." He declares. "I'd like to maintain my health record, thank you very much."
"You'd probably be even more at risk with me Kent, Jemma's been crashing in my guest room and she's lugging whatever grossness she runs into at Mungo's around with her." His sister points out cheerfully. She's somehow managed to stay completely dry despite the surprise downpour - even Kent hadn't been fast enough to avoid getting a bit damp, though he's not as drenched as Drake.
Kent frowns at the mention of Jemma. "How's she doing?" He asks quietly. He hasn't seen much of his sister's blonde friend since the prisoner release back in October since he hasn't been injured enough to see any of the mediwitches or wizards on the Order's payroll (not that they're getting paid), but Jemma and Evera have been friends for years, so he worries about her as much as he does his flesh-and-blood sister.
Evera shrugs. "She didn't say it but I think she moved in with me because her house is too painful to be in alone." She says sadly. "She won't talk to me though, which is annoying. I'm friends with Don too, you know? He's her husband so of course him vanishing is worse for her but that doesn't mean I'm not worried."
Kent sighs and looks back to Borgin and Burkes. There's still no sign of Malfoy, which means they should probably dispatch a stealth team later to snoop around the shop - obviously he's doing something in there and whatever it is can't be good for the Order.
They squat in silence after that; the only sound is the rain against the rooftop around them as they wait for their quarry to reappear. It takes a good hour and a half before Lucius emerges and wrinkles his nose at the weather.
The trio stalk him back to the edge of the alley, and Kent clocks that he's holding a package he hadn't had before just before he spins on his heel and Apparates away.
"Welp, that was boring." Evera declares with a slight whine. "I'll report to the Weasleys, you two can head home. Anything specific you want me to say?"
They part ways soon after that and Drake and Kent return to their flat. Kent can feel the wards protesting him slightly as they always do these days - he should probably have that looked at by someone but he has no idea who set up the wards. He thinks Bill Weasley is on the team, but he figures there must be others and Bill is rather busy with his new wife these days. Kent wouldn't want to intrude on what little honeymoon time the newlyweds can get.
"Shower." Drake declares emphatically before shuffling off to his bathroom, leaving a trail of water behind him.
Kent can't help laughing slightly as he dries himself and his shoes off before giving Drake's abandoned boots and the floor the same treatment. Drake is an excellent duelist when on the job, but he seems to forget he has magic the rest of the time.
Kent decides to take a shower as well once he's put everything away, and he and Drake spend the remainder of the evening listening to the wireless - Leona is covering a match between the Appleby Arrows and the Wimbourne Wasps which is always a fun game considering the centuries old rivalry between the two teams - and eating Chinese takeout.
"Think we'll get another posting tomorrow?" Drake asks hopefully as the game ends and Kent yawns and stretches.
Kent shrugs awkwardly, half-draped over the couch so he doesn't really have room to complete the gesture properly. "Probably not, you know that. We get assignments pretty haphazardly. But there's the bi monthly meeting on Sunday so you can look forward to that."
Drake groans. "I almost miss paperwork." He mumbles pettily, and Kent laughs.
"No you don't. You can't miss what you never did." He teases. "Alright, I'm calling it a night. You staying up?"
Drake shrugs. "Not super tired, so probably. G'night Kent."
"Night. Don't stay up too long." He says it habitually, something their parents always said to him and Evera that he's since picked up. Drake and Evera have both mockingly called him 'dad' over it more than once, so he's tried to ease up on saying it. But when he's this tired, things slip out.
He does hear Drake go into his room before he falls asleep, so at least his advice seems to have been taken. A sleepy Drake makes for an annoying roommate after all.
As expected there's no word from the Order the next day, but Evera comes over with Jemma Tremlett in tow and they manage to find things to do to keep themselves occupied.
More specifically, Evera also brings Muggle board games over, and figuring out how they work while Jemma giggles unhelpfully behind them keeps them occupied. But it's all fun - Kent had admittedly be a little skeptical of how much enjoyment you could possibly get from a game where you literally just pick up wooden sticks but they end up going seven rounds as he and Drake keep trying - and failing - to defeat Evera. They only stop when Kent notes her ego might explode out of her head if she wins any more games. Jemma and Evera say over for dinner - which means Jemma cooks while scolding him and Drake about how unhealthy eating takeout every night is - and they all listen to Leona's radio show while they eat.
"So Jemma, how did you come to be part of the Order? I never asked, and I know you were already joined up when we came in." Kent prompts curiously during a commercial break.
Jemma shrugs idly, gesturing at the radio. "Leona contacted me after an early raid went sideways, back in September or so. I'm not all that active with them honestly, I just come in when they ask and I happen to be available. It's gotten pretty busy at Mungo's these days, we had a guy with a stab wound come in a few weeks ago and no one knew what to do with that." She looks half-amused at the story, so Kent assumes the stab-ee was someone who deserved it.
"I wonder how Leona joined." Drake muses aloud. "The Order isn't exactly out and about actively recruiting any random person."
Evera snorts. "Do you even remember Hogwarts? I'd be more surprised if Leona Poole, information broker extraordinaire, hadn't figured out everything about the Order of the Phoenix and demanded entrance."
The three old friends laugh, and Kent smiles and quirks an eyebrow, though he's not quite in on the joke. He knows Leona had been a gossip queen, but she had been in Evera's year so he hadn't really known her. Apparently her information gathering skills are impressive.
"Anyway, it feels like all of us are just on call for the Order." Evera sighs. "We're frankly lucky that the Snatchers are as much a disorganized mess as we are."
"It's not that bad." Drake protests. "It's tough to fight a whole war when the other side is hiding like a bunch of cowards. The Dark Lord hasn't been seen in months, he's off cowering in the shadows."
"He's controlling the Ministry." Kent corrects. "Which is way more dangerous honestly."
Evera huffs. "Still, we should brainstorm some ways to up our game. I don't know if you guys noticed but the Snatchers recently have been getting better."
Drake grimaces. "And here I was hoping I was just out of practice." He sighs. "Okay, I'm in. Good thing there's a meeting tomorrow, huh?"
They chat for a few hours after that before the girls bid their farewells and head back to Evera's apartment while Drake and Kent clean up. They'd come up with a few ideas of how to better coordinate, but they're rough at best and will be difficult to apply to a group as large as the Order has become. Still, it'll be a start.
The next day Drake and Kent grab their brooms and cast disillusionments on themselves to fly out to the Burrow for the Order meeting. They don't always attend, but meetings are a set pattern so they always know when one is occurring and can show up if they have something to report.
They arrive just past noon and are greeted at the door by Mrs. Weasley, who frets over Drake's lanky figure and drags him to the kitchen to have some lunch while Kent wanders into the living room to see who else has arrived.
Bill and Fleur Weasley are on the couch talking to the Hobbes while Victoria totters around their feet. There's thumping coming from upstairs which Kent assumes must mean the twins are home as well, and perhaps Lee Jordan based on how much of a ruckus is being caused.
Laurel spots him first and grins, waving him over. "Hey Sylvester, rare to see you here." She observes cheerfully. "All good with Malfoy?"
Kent shrugs. "He's doing something but it's impossible to say what at the moment. I'm more worried about the Snatchers."
Eric grimaces from beside his wife. "I concur with that. We need more formalized teams, and somewhere to train."
Kent grins. "We had the same thought yesterday." He offers as he takes a seat in one of the armchairs. "Maybe a proper HQ as well."
"That's a harder sell." Bill Weasley muses. "As nice as it would be, the charms placed on 13 Grimmauld Place were extremely high level. I'm working on reconstructing them but until we have them solidified there's not much we can do. If we're going to be keeping everything in one location it needs to be properly protected."
Kent nods along as Bill is speaking. It makes sense, annoying as that is.
Evera arrives shortly after and perches on the arm of Kent's chair, and it seems that's everyone planning to come.
"Odd, normally Tonks and Lupin are here as well." Laurel observes, clearly a bit put out at the other couple's absence. "I wanted to see how far along Tonks is now!"
"She's over five months now dear, she and Lupin are officially taking time off." Mrs. Weasley scolds slightly as she bustles into the room followed by several plates of snacks. "Too much stress could hurt the baby!"
Kent settles back into his seat and is mostly content to listen to the proceedings of the meeting. Laurel reports on the atmosphere at work - she and Eric are some of the few active Order members who also still have day jobs, so they're able to keep a finger on the pulse of general society.
"It's tense, but people are starting to settle back down." Laurel sighs. "Now that the bulk of Muggleborns have either been arrested or fled people are content to go back to acting like things are normal."
"There's less of that at Mungo's." Eric offers after a giving the group a moment to process his wife's words. "We're constantly seeing injured Snatchers coming in an out of the Emergency Ward. Occasionally we'll get a captured Muggleborn, but it's rare." He doesn't add that any Fugitives caught are usually imprisoned immediately regardless of their condition, assuming they aren't already dead.
"There might be an uptick though." Evera says, worrying at her bottom lip. "I did a bit of solo scouting this morning around the north end of the Forest of Dean and the same team of Snatchers we faced off against last week was there again, setting up traps. They're definitely under new management, and whoever it is is giving them proper training. These aren't just a bunch of angry Deatheather wannabes anymore, they're turning into a properly oiled army."
Drake frowns. "The exact same team Ev?" He asks doubtfully.
Evera gives him an exasperated look. "I wouldn't have said so otherwise Drake." She points out. "So yeah, seems like they have official teams now, probably based on skillset if I were to hazard a guess."
"Then we need to start matching teams in the same way." Laurel suggests. "Though it's hard since everyone has such random schedules." She adds with a frown.
The bounce ideas around for most of the afternoon while Mrs. Weasley keeps serving food and checking that the wards around the house haven't been disturbed. The twins come down just as things are winding down, both Lee Jordan and Zoe Wentworth in tow.
"We're all set to broadcast tomorrow evening." One of the twins reports with a grin. Kent steals a glance at his ears and determines that it's George. "Anything you guys want us to add in?"
"Snatchers are getting organized so be more careful around them. They may not tip over so easily anymore." Evera supplies, earning a laugh for Lee.
"Nice one, we'll script it in." He promises, and Evera beams.
"That would tie in with the uptick in arrests this past week." Zoe says with a frown. "I wish there was some way we could contact the Fugitives directly, let them know what's happening."
"It's too risky." Fred says quietly, and clearly this isn't a new conversation. Zoe must know someone on the run.
Zoe huffs. "Yeah I know. See you all in a couple weeks."
"You're not going to be presenting this time Renegade?" Bill asks lightly.
"Just me and Ringer." Lee confirms. "You know, Fred, you could always correspond if you wanted."
Fred sticks his tongue out and grins. "Nah man, someone has to be watching the shop, it would be suspicious if we were both gone. Besides no one can come up with a better codename than Rodent, and I'm not using that."
Kent shakes his head, his cloak already half-on as he'd been about to leave when the twins had appeared. "I don't know how much use I'd be but feel free to call on me or one of these two if you'd like an inside scoop from a former Hit Wizard." He offers lightly.
Lee beams. "I may just take you up on that my good sir."
"Sweet! I want to be Radiance!" Evera pipes up.
"What would that even mean?" Drake asks in confusion, and Evera smacks him as Kent laughs and bids farewell to the group.
He's just about ready to take off - Drake and Evera have already cast their Disillusionments and taken to the air - when Laurel catches up to him.
"Hey, just so you know I'll probably be taking a bigger team to sweep the Northern Forest this week. If what Evera said is true, and I'm sure it is, we need to clear out those traps before they're successful. Can I count on you to lend a hand?"
Kent punches her shoulder lightly. "You've got all three of us." He promises.
She grins. "Great. Good to know I've got people in my corner. And count yourself lucky that you know you've got some too." She adds, looking up to where Drake and Evera had vanished.
It isn't until later that he wonders at the phrasing, but at that point it's late and he's tired - he's asleep before he can really think about it.
It's another three days before Laurel contacts him, her owl crashing into his wards and nearly killing itself. Drake manages to rescue it by catching it before it can fall too far, but its wing is sprained so the two men scramble to make it a makeshift nest (they really should get an owl at some point since they can't use the Ministry ones anymore) before finally opening up the letter.
3 PM, North Forest
Kent grins and Drake whoops.
"Alright, finally some action!" The brunet cheers, grabbing his wand and his broom before Kent catches him and points at the clock.
"It's barely nine AM Drake, cool your jets. We'll Apparate over at two forty-five."
Drake grumbles but puts the broom down. But Kent gets it - he knows he's going to be just as antsy waiting to leave.
When they finally go to the meeting point Kent is surprised to find that it's a rather large group that's gathered. Evera has beaten them, and she waves them over to where she and Jemma are sipping warm butterbeer on a couple of conjured chairs.
"Share." Drake demands immediately, making grabby hands for Evera's mug which she laughingly pulls out of his reach.
"You guys excited for this? There's got to be at least twenty people here." She observes brightly. "Jacob and Oliver are around here someone, and that lady from your team who defected with us." She says, poking at her brother. "I didn't recognize anyone else, but I know Laurel is around too obviously."
As if summoned, the star Quidditch player appears, auburn hair up in a bun and her expression set into the Game Face Kent knows all too well. She conjures a small ladder so she can stand above the gathered group and within moments of her ascending it the gathered crowd falls silent as she starts to speak.
"Alright, all the fighters will be splitting into pairs, all medical aid will remain here under disillusionment. An advance team has scouted for the traps and located about twenty six, so this is going to be a long afternoon. Do not activate the traps while dismantling them if possible - we suspect they may alert the Snatchers if they're tripped. Any questions?"
"How are we pairing up?" One of the older witches in the group pipes up curiously.
Laurel gives her a steady gaze. "I'm letting you all pick your partners." She says easily. "If you don't know anyone here come see me and we'll pair up the stragglers."
The woman seems content with that and links arms with the man next to her, who looks vaguely annoyed.
Kent turns to his sister, only to find that she and Drake are already partnered.
His sister grins at him unapologetically. "Sorry bro, but we already worked together professionally, it just makes sense." She says cheerfully. "Now go make new friends."
Kent rolls his eyes, but honestly he doesn't mind that much and can't say he wasn't expecting it. The two have been best friends for fourteen years - siblings or not Kent can't compete with that.
He starts scanning the group for any more familiar faces - Evera had mentioned Jacob Fawley and as annoying as he'd been in school Kent recalls him having amazing reflexes.
However, someone else finds Kent before he can find Jacob. A young man with broad shoulders and super short chestnut brown hair saunters up to him with an easy grin.
"Hey, Kent Sylvester right?" He asks curiously, and Kent mentally tries to place where he's seen this guy before - he definitely looks familiar, enough so that Kent figures he'll feel stupid when the guy introduces himself.
"That would be me." He confirms, and the other man beams.
"Great! I'm Oliver Wood, I replaced you on the Gryffindor team my second year. It's great to finally meet you properly. I mean, not as an overenthusiastic eleven-year-old." He corrects, blushing slightly.
Yep, Kent feels stupid. He can vaguely remember a young Oliver bounding after him in the hallways of Hogwarts and asking a few million questions a minute about playing Keeper and being Quidditch Captain and lots of other things Kent hadn't had time for when he was trying to study for his NEWTs.
"At least you recognize you were overenthusiastic." He says, quirking a grin, and Oliver laughs.
"Better late than never. You think you can forgive me enough to team up?"
Oliver Wood, Kent soon learns, is an aggressively likable fellow, even if he is still just on this side of too excitable at times.
"I found another one!" He shouts as Kent finishes up dismantling a snare the two of them had unearthed about three quarters of an hour into the search. So far things are going well - no Snatchers have surprised them and the teams have reported in fifteen successfully disabled traps so far, with minimal injuries to boot.
Of course that's when everything goes sideways. Kent looks up to see where Oliver is located, stupidly assuming he'd gotten the last of the activations removed from the trap that he's holding. He isn't sure what he triggers exactly, but he barely dives out of the way as the trap in his hand activates and starts spitting out thorns.
"!" He hisses, whipping out his wand and destroying the thing before it can hurt anyone. But the damage is done - he can hear the cracking of people Apparating in. Obviously the traps were set to alert their creators when they were set off.
Kent's Hit Wizard instincts thankfully haven't dulled in the time he's been off the field - things going horribly sideways is something he's trained to be prepared for. As such he's able to deflect the stunner that flies through the air back at the person who threw it before diving into another duel. He may be well trained, but he knows most of the people here aren't, and he'll need to prioritize their safety over taking out any Snatchers.
Things are a blur after that, and he does take a few more hits than he'd like - he's used to having someone watching his back.
He bites back the bile that threatens to rise up - now is not the time to think about Theo - and spins to face his next opponent only to draw up short.
Theodore Yaxley looks just as upset to see him as Kent feels. The two of them stare at each other for what feels like an eternity but Kent knows can't have been more than a second since he has to dodge out of the way of a curse flung by one of the other Snatchers.
"You're a Snatcher now Theo? Really?" Kent growls as he and his former parter circle each other.
"I'm the leader. You think this group suddenly shapes up without a proper teacher?" Theo fires back, and it's the drawling, lazy tone that Kent had become so familiar with during their school-time Quidditch rivalry. And it hurts to hear that tone, because he'd thought they were past that. But maybe that tone is the real Theo and Kent has been kidding himself this whole time.
"Figures you'd pull this. Lucky for me I know your weak points." Kent grins and fires at one of the other duelists, taking her out before she can further injure her opponent. The man smiles weakly at him - the annoyed guy from earlier, but where's his partner? - and limps away, back towards where Kent knows Jemma, Eric, and the two other mediwizards are waiting.
"I was top of the class Kent. Even if you know them you can't exploit them." Theo smirks infuriatingly, and suddenly Kent realizes how quiet the woods have gotten. He and Theo seem to be the only two still fighting, though neither of them have actually thrown a spell at the other, now that he thinks about it.
"Kent!" It's Drake's voice, higher than it should be and scared. "Kent it's-" He stumbles to a halt when he sees Theo.
"Looks like your team turned tail." Kent taunts. "Why don't you go join them?"
"Looks like your team took enough of a beating to know not to cross us again." Theo returns sharply, eyeing Drake suspiciously. "Until next time Kent."
Kent glares at the spot for a long moment after his former partner disapparates until he feels Drake grab his arm and yank weakly.
"Kent... I..." He looks lost, and Kent immediately turns to him.
"Hey, are you hurt? What's going on?" He demands gently, looking over his roommate worriedly.
Drake shakes his head mutely and tugs Kent back out of the forest.
The group is a mess. Laurel is nursing a dislocated shoulder, Oliver Wood has an impressive amount of blood staining his hip though he seems to have been stabilized, and the annoyed guy's partner has a black eye and a gash on her forehead that's still stubbornly leaking despite Eric's attempts to stem it.
But there are three figures who draw his attention. Jemma is crouched down beside two figures who are lying prone on the frosty ground. He can see the pale face of Jacob Fawley and the blonde shock of hair beside him is-
"No." Kent breathes, feeling like something has grabbed his gut and squeezed. He stumbles over to Jemma, dropping to the ground next to her, ignoring the blood that soaks into his knees. "No." He repeats weakly.
"I'm sorry." Jemma sound exhausted. "I couldn't save her."
The blank eyes of his little sister stare up at him. Evera is gone.
Author's Note: ... I'm sorry.
So I'm thinking I might do a final 'afterwords' chapter to share my thoughts and feelings on writing this story, if that's something people would be interested in? I'm also open to answering any lingering questions people might have there as well!
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