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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 6, 2013 16:26:54 GMT -5
"How'd you get out?" Michael asked. He'd been lucky with his defection, he knew. There were about a hundred ways it could have gone horribly wrong, many revolving around being lucky enough to have been caught by Grey instead of some of the other professors. He hadn't even been in as long as Skylar had. He couldn't imagine staying in the ranks for that long.
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Post by Skylar Constantine on Jun 6, 2013 16:31:15 GMT -5
"I said I quit, and I left," Skylar said, simplifying the situation a little. "Took my girl out of the country for a while hoping things might die down." He had yet to find out if they had, but that was part of why he was here. There was no way he'd trust someone else to do the poking around for him, and risk being found out.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 6, 2013 16:33:19 GMT -5
"Well, I haven't heard of any activity in a while," Michael said. Of course, he would probably be one of the last people to hear if something was happening, considering his own history and reputation. "There are rumors, you know, there are always rumors, but nothing for certain." He was almost able to let himself hope it was all over for good.
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Post by Skylar Constantine on Jun 6, 2013 16:35:56 GMT -5
"When's the last time you heard anything?" Skylar asked. Things had still been going strong in some places only two years ago, and he doubted everything had just fizzled when he'd left. He was good, but he was under no delusion that he was important. He watched Ember now, but kept Michael in view just in case.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 6, 2013 16:41:50 GMT -5
"I don't know, years," Michael said, shrugging. "I've been caught up in my own life the last few years, so I could have missed something, but it's still been a while since I heard anything concrete." He shouldn't be this calm talking to someone who had been with him during trips to a secluded stand of trees in the woods, should he? "Most I've heard is just rumors of groups trying to build up, but they never seem to amount to anything."
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Post by Skylar Constantine on Jun 6, 2013 16:46:06 GMT -5
"There was still sh~ going on when she was born," he said, gesturing with a nod in Ember's direction. "It wasn't as open as it was when you were around, but some of the old groups had gotten together. It was getting harder to recruit so they just joined up with each other." And he was saying way too much. He stopped himself a moment to gather his thoughts. "It's quiet around here, though?" he asked, looking back at Michael.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 6, 2013 16:51:24 GMT -5
Michael nodded. "Yes, there was a big attack a few years ago, when I left the ranks, but then the members just disappeared, more or less. It feels like there's always something happening, but it's normally not related to that, it's usually personal stuff." He was very glad nothing serious had happened in the past few months, it was a nice break.
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Post by Skylar Constantine on Jun 6, 2013 16:57:07 GMT -5
Usually personal stuff. Skylar watched Ember plop down next to another toddler, then proceed to ignore the child for the book she'd gotten. "Are there any others around?" he asked, moving his gaze back to Michael. "I was thinking about settling down in London for a while, but if it's safe here, you know?" If Michael was out, married to a man, and working, it had to be safe.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 6, 2013 17:01:27 GMT -5
"There's one, she's a professor, but I don't know too much about her. She writes for the Prophet, I'm not even sure if she's still in or not. Whether she is or not, there is a good number of Order members and Aurors in the school so she probably has eyes on her," Michael said. He didn't feel like he was watched, but he knew it was unlikely that tabs weren't kept on him. Thankfully, he didn't have the urge to slip back into his Death Eater ways.
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Post by Skylar Constantine on Jun 6, 2013 17:05:24 GMT -5
Sh~. Skylar settled his hands on his hips to think about that one. It'd certainly be safer for Ember to be around Aurors, but it wouldn't be safe for him at all. "Guess I'd better keep away," he said, watching his daughter pensively. After a moment his gaze flicked back to Michael. "How are there Aurors walking around and two professors free?" He wasn't about to use the phrase Death Eater where they might be overheard. "Did you make a deal with someone?"
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 6, 2013 17:08:44 GMT -5
"I turned myself in after the attack," Michael said. "It just so happened I turned myself into an Order member and I must have done something right because he vouched for me. I gave them names, cooperated, and laid low. I made sure they knew I didn't want to go back." He didn't want to think of where he would be without Grey. "I don't know Dahlia's story."
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Post by Skylar Constantine on Jun 6, 2013 17:17:59 GMT -5
Skylar rubbed absently at his left arm, then tugged his sleeve back into place before stuffing his fingers into his pockets so he couldn't do it again. "You weren't in that long," he said, thinking about it. "Not officially. There was all that sh~ that happened before..." He couldn't think like that. He had Ember to watch. They were out in public. He kept his eyes on her so he couldn't forget.
"I don't think turning myself in would work out too well."
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 6, 2013 17:22:42 GMT -5
"If I hadn't moved away from home to come here for school, I wouldn't have gotten out as soon as I did," Michael said. "I won't tell you to turn yourself in, you said you're out for two years already. I won't turn you in either, unless you give me a reason to." He looked over at Skylar, pulling his eyes away from his own offspring to ensure Skylar knew he was serious. He could respect the man being cautious, but if something ever happened that could affect Michael's freedom, he would have to choose himself over another ex-Death Eater.
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Post by Skylar Constantine on Jun 6, 2013 17:28:10 GMT -5
Skylar's eyes hardened at the unspoken threat, and he looked back at Michael. "I told you, I'm out," he said. "It's all about Ember now. I don't want her growing up in all that sh~, that's why I took her away." That and so she wouldn't be killed because her mother's blood hadn't been pure. He lowered his voice to a hiss for what came next.
"I got in deeper after you took off," he said, quickly and quietly. "No one alive's going to vouch for me." No one dead, either. Michael was one lucky effing bastard.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Jun 6, 2013 18:18:27 GMT -5
Michael looked sharply at Skylar. "What happened? I mean, you don't have to, but that sounds serious." Not to mention that he would feel much better about associating with Skylar if he knew what had happened. "I have a family, too, and I want to keep them safe. You've got her, you understand." Dare had been put in enough danger and Michael preferred to keep the twins far, far away from any harm. He didn't worry about Skylar, exactly, but what he'd just said was enough to put Michael on alert.
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