···· Right Beneath Their Noses, March 2060

[Elixa Amethyst]

Elixa had somewhat anticipated Ben would desert them given half the chance. Examining the broken plates, overturned table, shattered lanterns and soil from the plants spattered over the floor, she took a slow, deep breath and tried to steady her heart.

Lamia had been so wonderful to them, smuggling them back so close to the University. It had only been Ben's insistence that entering the building and the boundary where the creatures, that had prevented them doing just that. He and Elixa had quarrelled daily, several times a day increasingly, Elixa with a new found confidence and lack of care, Ben, agitated and claiming he had been coersed into helping Jane and the Vectors - none of whom he was protecting now, given they were no longer together.

Jane was still held by Lucy, Elixa doubted Lucy would kill her just yet, Sigma was as far as they knew, still on the run, but Theta had been captured. They knew this from Lamia, who provided as much information as she could from the dark, which she flitted to and socialised with for their benefit.

Johann had come so close to finding them, minutes behind their departure from the previous hiding place - warned by Lamia. Ben had insisted they hide further away from the University, they'd been so easily compromised, and once safe, had argued until they were blue in the face in the room in the Paradise that Lamia had secured for them.

Each of them had lost their tempers, Ben had stopped short of battering Elixa only by tearing up the room, at least she realised now. Elixa, on the other hand would have torn him apart - fully suspcting he had turned against them and had caused Johann to get so close, whereas he blamed her. Currently in the form of one of the local muggles they had been able to procure hair from for polyjuice, Elixa resembled a 5ft plump man, with stubby fingers and a waddle. It had done nothing to help her mood.

Ben had left. Elixa had no idea where, or whether he was coming back.

Or, if she wanted him to come back.

Putting her stubby hands to her face, Elixa exhaled heavily, and heard a knock at the door. Expecting it to be Lamia, she was confused when, drawing her wand, she discovered someone entirely different behind the door.

[Sigma Vector]

The door opened a crack. Beneath his hood, and shoddily transfigured in appearance, Sigma looked back at a squat little man behind it.

"He's such a crap auror." Sigma told him, and waited for the expression of the little man to change.
"Please let me in Elizabeth." He added, appealing to her, hoping she would recognise him beneath his transfigured appearance, and hoping his instincts weren't wrong, that this little man behind the door was Elixa, and that it had been Ben beneath the hood storming out without thinking of his cover. If Sigma hadn't just been relieving himself in the toilets of the inn, he would have never noticed Ben apparating in the hallway after the argument.

Stepping inside the room, Sigma surveyed the damage with an element of shock. He had not expected them to argue so badly that Ben would leave like that, or leave such destruction. Turning back to the squat little man, he stared in horror, wondering what had happened while they were all seperated, and then, looking back to the broken room, his knees gave way and he landed unceremoniously on the floor, exhausted and relieved.

[Elixa Amethyst]

"He's such a crap auror... Please let me in Elizabeth."

Elixa could not help but recognise Sigma's tired voice, despite his now obvious transfiguration of his face beneath the hood he wore. She was swept with a wave of relief that he was safe and had returned.

She lowered her wand and let him pass, watching him step into the room before looking behind to check if he was followed or watched. Locking the door behind them and casting a spell to deaden the sound, Elixa turned in her polyjuice form and saw Sigma looking around himself at the broken room, before sinking to the floor rather suddenly as if injured.

"Sigma!" She cried, unable to help herself, and rushed forwards to catch him, but he was already seated on the floor and looked as weary as he had when they had first arrived at her late parent's house after the escape from Azkaban. She crouched beside him, her stubby little feet cracking the plates beneath their feet into more dust.

"Sorry, polyjuice potion." She explained, moving a little further back, realising that to Sigma, she was a rather unattractive fat little man currently.

"Sorry about the mess - Ben finally had it with me - Lamia's been helping us - we're trying to get back to Jane - we heard Theta had been captured - how - what, oh Merlin. Start at the beginning, from when Johann came to the house...!" Elixa rushed to speak and then threw her hands up looking apologetic.

It was so good to see him again, to know even though Ben had just left and might not return, he had come to replace him through fate. Sigma would know what to do!

[Sigma Vector]

"Elixa!" Sigma yelped, holding his hands up. "Stop apologising... please."

There was a pause, and Sigma recounted the moments he and Theta had disappeared from the road, feeling so guilty later for doing it, given the consequences. Then he explained what had happened when Johann had found them. The two women closest to him, torn away, and for all he knew, dead.

"She hit him with a golf club!" Sigma explained, recounting the fight with Johann. "He decapitated her. It turns my stomach to think of it." He closed his eyes and swallowed. "Offered to do the same to Theta." Shook his head and drew a shuddered breath.

"He told me he knew Theta had put the veritaserum in his goblet at the election announcement, said if we hadn't sabotaged him, Lucy would be in his place right now, doing his bidding. Which means, he's not happy about what he's doing, which could mean he'll turn on Lucy again like before. They're less of a threat then. Then, then he broke her neck."

Sigma's eyes filled with tears and he began to sob.

"And I left her!" He buried his head in the dirty arm of his cloak, and shivered, crying bitter tears of regret that he had abandonned both women that were most important to him, left them to their deaths with Johann Storm.

[Lamia Cox]

She was absolutely disturbed. Why did he react like that? It was so sad that the only friend she had was now gone and mad with her. She only tried to help him and his friends. She wanted a new world for everyone, a new government. Everything seemed so dark and dead. People were living in fear, the dark wizards were walking like if they were normal citizens, the muggles were being slaughtered, even the environment seemed darker and they were in March. She had to do something, and even though her friend was gone, she just couldn't abandon the girl.

Lamia managed to escape the castle again and was now going toward the Paradise, like she had come from the train station. She had a huge amount of Polyjuice potion back in a very hidden place in PU and now she looked like an old lady, an old muggle lady, even though people would think of her as an old witch. After a few minutes of unnecessary attempts of go off road, Lamia finally walked slowly toward the Paradise and the little inn where she left Elixa and Ben.

She knocked and went inside the room. She expected to see Elixa alone, but instead she found another person inside. Fearing for Elixa, she raised her wand and yelled "Stop right there. Who are you? What are you doing here? Who do you work for? Don't try anything, I seem old but I'm more powerful than you think." she paused and then turned to Elixa, pretending she was the man she looked like right "Sir, get your wand and help me bind this man. Did he hurt you?" she asked and kept her eye on the man sat down on the floor.

[Elixa Amethyst]

And so Sigma explained, all about Theta saving them this time by finding somewhere new to hide, and then when Johann came to visit.

"He told me he knew Theta had put the veritaserum in his goblet at the election announcement, said if we hadn't sabotaged him, Lucy would be in his place right now, doing his bidding. Which means, he's not happy about what he's doing, which could mean he'll turn on Lucy again like before. They're less of a threat then. Then, then he broke her neck."

Elixa choked at the thought of Johann killing Theta like that. So Muggle, so brutal. Like wringing a chicken's neck. Sigma had been right there, in the same room. She felt sick at the thought. Sigma's eyes filled with tears and he began to sob, relieved to tell someone, and also deeply upset, Elixa presumed.

"And I left her!"

"Oh Sigma-." Elixa began, looking to console him.

There was a knock at the door behind them, and then the door opened. Given the enchantments on them, it could only be Ben or Lamia to perform the counter bonds so swiftly. She stepped into the room, though was unrecognisable as Elixa was,

"Stop right there. Who are you? What are you doing here? Who do you work for? Don't try anything, I seem old but I'm more powerful than you think."

Elixa, surprised, jumped to her feet and backed away a few paces in her little plump man form.
"Sir, get your wand and help me bind this man. Did he hurt you?"

"No, he didn't, its ok - its Sigma!" Elixa hurried to tell her, especially at the prospect of binding the bereaved Sigma to anything at the moment amongst all the mess.

"Er-- tell her something to prove it!" Elixa squeaked at Sigma on the floor, suddenly doubting her own judgment.

[Sigma Vector]

"Er-- tell her something to prove it!"

Sigma stared open mouthed at the woman who had just entered. He didn't recognise her, and wasn't sure what the hell to say suddenly. He floundered.

"Sigma Epsilon Vector - I was the arithmancy professor and a curse breaker, broke Elixa out of Azkaban, I saved my sister and left them all at the house when Johann came, I know I'm a coward and-." He drew his weary arms up over his head as if to shield himself.

"How can I prove it I don't even know who you claim to be!"

[Lamia Cox]

"No, he didn't, its ok - its Sigma!" Elixa hurried to tell her, especially at the prospect of binding the bereaved Sigma to anything at the moment amongst all the mess.
"Er-- tell her something to prove it!" Elixa squeaked at Sigma on the floor, suddenly doubting her own judgment.

Lamia raised her eyebrows. That was Sigma? And why was he alone? According to Ben and Elixa, he was with his sister. After a few moments of confusion. Lamia frowned and waited for his words. It would be difficult to prove he was Sigma. Lamia and Sigma never really met and didn't know any secrets from each other.

"Sigma Epsilon Vector - I was the arithmancy professor and a curse breaker, broke Elixa out of Azkaban, I saved my sister and left them all at the house when Johann came, I know I'm a coward and-." He drew his weary arms up over his head as if to shield himself.
"How can I prove it I don't even know who you claim to be!"
Lamia half smirked. Each and every word he said could be said by anyone else. All dark wizards knew what he did, who he was and why he did anything. But then again, Lamia knew, looking at his eyes that he was being sincere. However, he interrupted himself and asked her in some way who she was. That could be strange. Why did Elixa trust the man in? How did she know who he was? The only way was to read his mind but he seemed to be protecting himself. That was suspicious too. But then again, she didn't tell him or anyone who she was.

"Fine! I'm Lamia Cox. I'm the psychology professor in PU. I am a double agent, but my loyalties go to the light side. I was contacted by my friend Ben through his patronus bear to help him and Elixa here. It was me who helped them come so close to PU and I would have helped them get inside PU if it wasn't for Ben. Now, this information is surely good proof of who am I, but what you said is just too vague and too easy to be discovered by anyone including the dark side. And I'm not convinced." Lamia said and frowned. She was too suspicious to relax, he could be anyone

[Sigma Vector]

"Fine! I'm Lamia Cox. I'm the psychology professor in PU. I am a double agent, but my loyalties go to the light side. I was contacted by my friend Ben through his patronus bear to help him and Elixa here. It was me who helped them come so close to PU and I would have helped them get inside PU if it wasn't for Ben. Now, this information is surely good proof of who am I, but what you said is just too vague and too easy to be discovered by anyone including the dark side. And I'm not convinced."

Sigma bowed his head, he had felt Lamia, in this odd form, pushing to read it, and he closed his eyes a moment, opening his mind.

"Read me then." He told Lamia with a hollow voice. "I know you can, I've no strength to fight you both, please, I invite you - feel free to see the hell I've gone though!" He added angrily, staring up at Lamia through a dirty mop of hair.

[Lamia Cox]

When she said those words she wasn't expecting that man to low his guard and let her read his mind. She was expecting for him to attack her or run away or even try to go around the subject. That meant he was telling the truth and he was Sigma Vector, one of the old PU professors.
With a softer expression and smile, Lamia relaxed and lowered her wand. Keeping it on her robes, she finally said "I won't need to read your mind or see your disgrace. Your words and your wish for the truth saved you and was enough proof for me to accept who you really are. Thank God you're not a traitor. The information I gave would be enough to kill me." Lamia sighed and extended a hand to him, trying to help him get up.

Once he seemed quite confused and still angry he didn't take the hand. She didn't give much importance to that, he was free to do whatever he wanted and she knew he was suffering. And then she realized he was alone. She thought he was with his sister when he ran with her and left Ben and Elixa alone. So, why wasn't she here? "Where's your sister? I thought you were with her. It's not safe to let her walk here and there. That can bring suspicion from the other side. And this is dangerous enough already." Lamia said, without thinking about the other possibility for the lack of her presence. She would never believe Sigma would abandon his sister. But then again, he abandoned Jane. However, it was to save Theta according to Ben and Elixa. His sister was more important than anything else. Something was wrong.

[Elixa Amethyst]

"Where's your sister? I thought you were with her. It's not safe to let her walk here and there. That can bring suspicion from the other side. And this is dangerous enough already."

Lamia finally believed it was Sigma, and Elixa breathed a hasty sigh of relief that the tension had dropped in the room. But her question caused Sigma's features to contort.

"She's not with him, Lamia. Theta was captured by Johann, and Sigma thinks she might be dead." Elixa spoke softly, her feet crunching the broken crockery on the floor.

"He's on his own." She added, as if it needed clarifying. Drawing her wand, she began to pull together the room again, the air ringing with the sound of shattered glass sliding back across the floor, reforming into bottles, the table's feet bumping the floor as it righted itself. Then, after ten or so seconds, the rooms was back to before Ben had left angrily less than an hour ago, when Elixa had cautiously sent a patronus to Lamia to let her know. She'd tried to change it to a dog, and the whole thing had lost a lot of shape and definition, bearly carrying the message.

Elixa helped Sigma up, extending her arm to him on the floor, and sat him down at the table.
"I think, Lamia, it might be time to move again. Go where we planned before, where Ben disagreed. We know we have allies there who can hide us, and everything at our fingertips to get rid of Lucy and Johann for good." She itched her arm, fearing her polyjuice was waning.

"Can you get us inside the University?" She asked, somewhat clarifying it for Sigma.

[Lamia Cox]

Even though Lamia had questioned Sigma directly, it was Elixa who answered. That was strange. She would expect more action from that man. The man that followed Jane until the end. Why didn't he answer directly to a question? What could be so hard?

"She's not with him, Lamia. Theta was captured by Johann, and Sigma thinks she might be dead." Elixa spoke softly, her feet crunching the broken crockery on the floor.
"He's on his own." She added, as if it needed clarifying. Drawing her wand, she began to pull together the room again

Lamia closed her mouth. Now she understood his pain and why he was on the floor when she arrived earlier. It was an awful feeling and she understood him very well. She never had a family or someone to rely on. She was always alone. It was tough and she always missed a friendly advice, a mother's words, a father's hug. It was hard.
"I'm sorry Sigma. I understand how you feel in some way, even though my situation is a little bit different. I never had a family and it is hard to live without anyone to rely on, to talk, to smile, to be happy. I hope she's not dead. I'll do everything to know more about what happened to her." Lamia said with a sensitive smile.

"I think, Lamia, it might be time to move again. Go where we planned before, where Ben disagreed. We know we have allies there who can hide us, and everything at our fingertips to get rid of Lucy and Johann for good." She itched her arm, fearing her polyjuice was waning.
"Can you get us inside the University?" She asked, somewhat clarifying it for Sigma.

Lamia nodded at everything Elixa said. Yes, she was right. They had to move again. And yes, she could get them inside PU.
"Yes I can. But we're going to need your ability to transform yourselves into animals. I hope your animagi are small." she said with a smile.

[Sigma Vector]

"Can you get us inside the University?"

"Yes I can. But we're going to need your ability to transform yourselves into animals. I hope your animagi are small."

Sigma had slowly found his feet as Elixa had drawn the room back together. Now the room looked as it should, as if nobody had lost their temper. He still felt defeated, there was no spell that could do the same for him.

"Animagi?" Sigma echoed, questioning. "Neither of us are..." The subject had come up in conversation a long time past. He currently felt so useless, so defeated that even the thought of attempting a short term animagus was beyond his mental capability right then.

He rubbed his face and thought about things.
"But if we were quick about it, we could use other means..." He tapped his temples. "What small beasts might you or another member of respected staff require? Toads? Spiders? No, something that would require to be brought in from outside. Exotic toads, perhaps, shipped over from Africa or somewhere warm." He stalked back and forth across the room.

"If we can transfigure into them, hop into a big glass jar, you could walk through the grates with us, and nobody would be the wiser. They'll be looking for deception, not ordinary day to day occurances that happen at the University."

Suddenly he felt like they might have a plan, a bit of hope, which pushed aside the horrible feeling of what the hell they were going to do once they were inside.