22 February 1922
Wednesday
7:00 pm
The ball was moving. After a long day of work, meetings and researching current laws regarding custody and child welfare, Bram was exhausted.
Owls had been sent. Quiet inquiries were being made. Bram promised Alice that he would get Everleigh the help she needed and he was determined to follow through with that promise.
One of the first owls sent went to the new Headmaster of Hogwarts, Galen Maclean. While Bram was doing work on the outside of the castle, he needed eyes on the inside. The new man in charge was the best option.
No official investigations had been started, he was in the evidence gathering portion of this mission. And his next interview would hopefully prove fruitful.
Walking into the bar, The Old Headmaster, Bertram didn’t wait to be invited to sit. The weight of his promise to Alice felt like lead in his coat pockets, heavier than the flask he’d considered bringing but ultimately left behind. He looked at MacLean, the man who inherited a mess of Ruby Haswell’s making, and didn’t bother with pleasantries. “MacLean.” He said simply, sitting down across from him in a booth against the wall.
"You've seen her," Bram stated, his voice a low growl. It wasn't a question. He’d seen the exhaustion and sadness in Alice’s eyes. "I’m not here for a progress report, Headmaster. I’m here to find out what we need to prove to the Ministry that Thatcher Ravenstone is unfit to hold a wand, let alone the life of my granddaughters.”
Galen had not been surprised at all to hear from Bertram Nordstrom. He was determined to get Everleigh the help that she needed, and clearly going to Thatcher Ravenstone was pointless. So, he’d bypass the man.
He knew Nordstrom from the Wizengamot, and looked up to the man. He immediately agreed to the invitation to meet up for drinks to discuss what the plan was for the younger girl.
Galen arrived first and sat in a booth with a glass of whiskey. He sipped on it, his eyes drawn to the amber liquid when he set the glass back down on the table.
”MacLean.”
Nordstrom didn’t wait for a greeting, and didn't want the pleasantries. This wasn’t a pleasant conversation, however at least they were both on the same side.
"You've seen her. I’m not here for a progress report, Headmaster. I’m here to find out what we need to prove to the Ministry that Thatcher Ravenstone is unfit to hold a wand, let alone the life of my granddaughters.”
Galen nodded and sipped his whiskey. ”I really don’t think we will need much,” he responded. The details of what happened didn’t need to be said outloud. Both men knew what the girl had endured and both could see the effects it had on not just her but Alice as well.
And they both knew that using obliviate on a child was abuse of power, and clearly told them that Thatcher Ravenstone was doing something illegal.
”Because of what Alice witnessed, this should be an open-shut case. And I’m sure that once we get her looked at by a Healer at St. Mungo’s, we can get an emergency order to remove both of them from the home.” It was clear that Bertram loved the girls. ”I assume they would be going to live with you?” he asked.
”I really don’t think we will need much,” It was a simple statement, but the use of the word ‘we’ helped Bram relax just a bit. He had an ally in this.
This process had been in the works for nearly a year. The moment Everleigh was taken to the top of the dark tower, the wheels were in motion. No one knew it at the time, but now that all the cards were on the table, it was clear. She needed help and her parents weren’t the ones equipped to follow through.
”Because of what Alice witnessed, this should be an open-shut case. And I’m sure that once we get her looked at by a Healer at St. Mungo’s, we can get an emergency order to remove both of them from the home.”
The anger burning inside Bram rose. What Thatcher was thinking, he would never understand. Even if the man told him point by point the WHY, it would still not make sense. There was no reason, ever, to turn your wand on your children in such a malicious manner.
“You don’t know Thatcher,” Bram said, running his weathered hand through his salt and pepper hair. “The man is a snake. I’ve never liked the man. He has connections. Deep connections with deep pockets. Thankfully, when it comes to the legal side of things, my pockets are deeper.” He sighed. Having a high ranking position with the Ministry would help their case.
”I assume they would be going to live with you?”
Bram nodded with a sigh. “Absolutely. I took in my other granddaughter, Matilda Nordstrom when her parents tossed her away. Her father is a squib and couldn’t deal with having a daughter with magic. Fucking idiot my son.” Bram took a swig of the amber liquid sitting in front of him.
"I have already talked to my House Manager and gotten in contact with a few therapists. We will start there. Unfortunately, I worry that simple one-on-0ne therapy isn’t going to work. If inpatient treatment is needed, although I don’t want her living in some cold medical facility, I will do whatever is best for Ever. And yes, Alice will come live with me as well. At this point, give me all the grandchildren and toss out my own kids. I blame their mother, she’s a royal bitch of a woman.”
For some reason, Galen was easy to talk to. Bram was saying things he should probably hold back, but with his life falling into tatters, it was nice to have someone to share the load with.
“You don’t know Thatcher. The man is a snake. I’ve never liked the man. He has connections. Deep connections with deep pockets. Thankfully, when it comes to the legal side of things, my pockets are deeper.”
Galen drank his whiskey as he listened to Nordstrom speak.
“Absolutely. I took in my other granddaughter, Matilda Nordstrom when her parents tossed her away. Her father is a squib and couldn’t deal with having a daughter with magic. Fucking idiot my son.”
Clearly. Matilda Nordstrom was incredibly smart, and gifted when it came to plants. He didn’t know much about all of his students, but certain things stuck out.
"I have already talked to my House Manager and gotten in contact with a few therapists. We will start there. Unfortunately, I worry that simple one-on-one therapy isn’t going to work. If inpatient treatment is needed, although I don’t want her living in some cold medical facility, I will do whatever is best for Ever. And yes, Alice will come live with me as well. At this point, give me all the grandchildren and toss out my own kids. I blame their mother, she’s a royal bitch of a woman.”
He nodded. Not all women were like that, but clearly whatever stock she came from was… less than ideal.
”There’s something I wanted to show you,” he said and pulled Everleigh’s file from the seat next to him. He set it on the table and opened to the first page, which had a photograph of the girl and the typical information Hogwarts kept on all of its students. No, the man didn’t want a progress report. But this was important and showed the direness of the situation.
“I met with both of them, and then Everleigh alone. I wanted to see if I could get her attention.” Perhaps his method of getting her attention would be frowned upon by the man, but it had done its job. “She wouldn’t focus until I yelled at her. But I had her attention for a few minutes. I told her to draw what she remembered from Christmas break.”
He flipped the page over and revealed the drawing. Galen picked it up, skimmed it again, then handed it over to Nordstrom. “I think he may have done it again,” he said, not mentioning who the ‘he’ was or what the ‘it’ was. They both knew.
“Her biggest trigger, I think, is him. But specifically his anger.” Galen then drank more of his whiskey.
“I met with both of them, and then Everleigh alone. I wanted to see if I could get her attention.” Bram listened, curious how Ever responded to the strange man. “She wouldn’t focus until I yelled at her.” He fucking did what now?
“But I had her attention for a few minutes. I told her to draw what she remembered from Christmas break.”
“Merlin Galen. In what world did you think it was ok to YELL at a traumatized young girl? You know she is fragile! Jesus. You’re lucky she didn’t fall to the ground in a panic attack.” And he was lucky, because if he had hurt her more, Bram would have happily faced the consequences for punching him in the nose.
It was then that Galen produced a new picture, one that he had yet to look at. His stomach dropped right along with his heart. “I think he may have done it again.”
“Shit.” The older man said, running his hand along his jaw. The abuse Everleigh had suffered was more than any one person should ever have to endure. Especially for such a young girl. And by her fathers hand no less.
“Her biggest trigger, I think, is him. But specifically his anger.” Bram nodded, not able to look away from the picture. He knew Galen was right.
“I have a meeting with Magical Law Enforcement first thing Monday morning. I will present them with all the evidence I have. If you are able, can you please have Everleigh’s Head of House, Professors and any other staff that she has dealt with write a statement. Have them include time lines, when things got worse, anything she may have mentioned in her ramblings. Nothing is too small of a detail. I fear the investigation will take time, but I hope to have the girls in my care before the Easter Holiday. Unfortunately, if that is the case, I don’t believe Everleigh will be returning to the castle after the break.”
“Merlin Galen. In what world did you think it was ok to YELL at a traumatized young girl? You know she is fragile! Jesus. You’re lucky she didn’t fall to the ground in a panic attack.”
The shock radiating off Nordstrom was something Galen had expected. Sure, it had been risky. But the man was also confident that the girl could handle it. Plus, even if she couldn’t and even if she had been thrown into a spiral that ended in a panic attack, he would have gotten her the help she needed to get her calmed down.
Galen, while great at professoring, was also raised by a military man who was not very compassionate. He felt for the girl, of course he did, but he was more of a ‘tough love’ kind of guy.
Nordstrom’s reaction was reasonable. He didn’t blame him.
But then when he looked at the drawing, his face fell. He was shaken. Galen finished his whiskey.
“I have a meeting with Magical Law Enforcement first thing Monday morning. I will present them with all the evidence I have. If you are able, can you please have Everleigh’s Head of House, Professors and any other staff that she has dealt with write a statement. Have them include time lines, when things got worse, anything she may have mentioned in her ramblings. Nothing is too small of a detail. I fear the investigation will take time, but I hope to have the girls in my care before the Easter Holiday. Unfortunately, if that is the case, I don’t believe Everleigh will be returning to the castle after the break.”
Galen nodded. ”As soon as I return to Hogwarts tonight, I will set up a meeting to get everyone on the same page. With how high risk this is, we’ll get everything sent to you by Sunday night. Every single one of them has voiced their concerns. I just apologize that the previous Headmistress didn’t take it nearly as seriously.”
Perhaps she could have been saved sooner.
He then sighed. ”I really hope we’re able to get them out of there before Easter. Once MLE is involved, it’s going to move fast and Thatcher will find out quick what’s going on.” Galen didn’t say it, but he knew the girls – both of them – were in danger if they had to return to their family home for the holiday.
”And of course, I will keep you updated on how she’s doing.” The unspoken words there were – if she begins doing worse. He really didn’t think there would be much getting her better before they were removed from their father’s care.
Knowing that Galen was on board and had the staff behind him helped sooth Bram’s anxiety. Ruby’s incompetence was shining though, even now as she sat in Azkaban. He was even more glad that he had voted to send her away, he just wished it had been for longer than 2 years.
”And of course, I will keep you updated on how she’s doing.”
With a sigh, Bram ran his hand over his stubble, looking exhausted and stressed. He hated having to do this the right way. The legal way. But if he went in and stole Ever and Alice away, they would be back in their parents' horrible care within a day.
Getting the evidence in the right hands, stressing the importance of the situation. They needed to understand.
Standing, Bertram extended his hand to Galen. “I truly can’t thank you enough. I knew it was bad, but I had no idea just how bad. With your help, she will finally get the help she needs.”
With that, they men parted ways. Bram, back to his home, more evidence in hand, ready to take down his son-in-law for the way he treated his granddaughter.
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