it's a new kind of world -- zander, drew & emily

[Deleted]

@zander

what in merlin was going on? ranger had woken a few seconds ago to what felt like the house shaking and there was shouting downstairs. something told him it wasn't his parents having an argument, his mother almost always didn't pick up her wand for that very reason. he scrambled out from his bed when the house shook again and he grabbed his wand off the table beside his bed and rushed for the door. pulling it open he crossed the hall quickly to pound on zanders door. "zander!" he called through the door, wanting to wake him up before a flash of color resonated the stairwell next to the door. he gripped his wand in his hand and moved to hurry down them. "mom!?" he called into the chaos that was downstairs. spells were flying and people were yelling, the downstairs didn't look like downstairs anymore. he ducked as a spell flew over his head and he frowned, trying to spot his parents before shooting a spell of his own at someone who donned a mask. seeing them fall back he moved forward, his wand up at the ready. his eyes widened when he saw someone laying in the doorway to the kitchen. their mother lay there, not moving and ranger forgot everything else and started running toward her. before he reached her, he saw a flash, lifted his eyes for a second in time to duck down to avoid the spell that hit the wall behind him and exploded it. he felt the blast make contact with his back and he was knocked forward by the force and he fell to the ground, his wand skittering across the floor and mixing itself up in the debris from the wall. he pushed himself up as quick as he could from the floor, his ears ringing as he tried to see into the rest of the house again but the dust was still rising.

[Deleted]

Zander knew what the shaking was before the knocks came on his door.

he had heard it before, in a way. He had heard stories about it. From the first war, the Hogwarts war, and this war. Aurors being hunted down and killed. He almost wasn't even surprised when he heard the noise and Rangers voice as the pounds on the door came. He almost didn't move, fearing that this was the way it was always going to be.

He sat up, shaking his head as if to literally wipe those thoughts away. If there was one thing he could do in this situation, it would be to save Ranger. It seemed he was too late when he opened the door and Ranger was running down the stairs. "Range, no!" he shouted, but he wasn't sure if he could be heard in the chaos. He moved down the stairs after him, thanking God that he had decided to stay at home tonight. He saw Ranger turn toward the kitchen, seeing their mothers body, and Zander froze. He couldn't move for a moment as Ranger ran for her. When the spell knocked Rangers wand out of his hand, however, Zander came back to his senses.

"Bombarda!" he cast, pointing at the wall beside one of the masked figures. He slowly moved along the wall, toward Ranger. "Ranger," he said when he was close, "get up and take my hand. Listen to my voice and take my hand," he said, holding his hand out toward his struggling brother as he inched toward him. Wand pointed out against their enemies...

Where was dad?

@ranger

[Deleted]

@zander

"Ranger," he said when he was close, "get up and take my hand. Listen to my voice and take my hand," he reached up and took zander's hand as he got up from the ground. he tried to spot his wand in the rubble on the floor but he couldn't make it out. he coughed from the dust that was still rising and he moved to try and go forward, toward their mother and toward where their father might be. "w-we have to get m-mom" he said as he looked back at zander. they needed to get her out. then find their father. that was the order to do it in. while avoiding the people who were there to try and kill their parents. and them. maybe. he wasn't sure and he couldn't decide. his head wouldn't let him. he stepped forward again, vaguely aware of the pain that was spreading through his side from the blast that had blown him forward. "jinx .. " he said, suddenly remembering his bog black shaggy dog that spent most nights curled up by the fireplace in the kitchen, even when it was cold. he heard some more yelling and saw the flashes of more spells being cast. he couldn't make out their fathers voice in the noise around them. he made to drop zander's hand in order to move forward, not sure what he was going to do without his wand but certain he couldn't stay back and do nothing.

andrew ethan astor-shaw (just so he can know what happens)

[Deleted]

Zander breathed a such of relief as Ranger took his hand. He heard his words about going back for mom and didn't turn to look, "we will. I promise. Follow me first," he lied to him but he was not planning on going back for his mom, of course not. He knew that they'd expect that. He slowly pulled Ranger away as he heard his brother say the dogs name. Zanders heart sunk, but he kept moving. He pulled Ranger toward the hallway, towards their parents room. Before he reached it however, their dad appeared at they're side.

"Get in there now. I can handle this," he said. Zander moved quickly into the room, pulling Ranger with him. He opened the closet door with his wand and started to push Ranger inside, "stay still. Don't move," he said firmly.

@ranger

[Deleted]

@zander

"we will. I promise. Follow me first," he followed zander but he kept glancing back. they were going to come back for her? they couldn't just leave her there. like she was nothing. he swallowed as they kept moving down the hall toward their parents room. they needed to get some help here, their dad couldn't handle this on his own. as good an auror as he was ranger had counted at least three people in the house, the one that he had knocked down and the one casting spells at them and someone else in the kitchen. as they reached the room their dad appeared at their sides. "Get in there now. I can handle this," he was still alive. thank god. but before ranger could get a word out to him he had gone again. back into the main part of their house and he was getting pushed into their parents rooms. he felt something brush against his legs as he moved and looked down to see jinx had slunk into the room with them, covered in dust but otherwise okay. he reached down to grip the dogs collar as his brother pushed him into their parents closet. "stay still. Don't move," he frowned as he stumbled a little, hitting the wall with his back and he winced before he slid down the wall. "what about you?" he asked, holding on jinx still so he couldn't go anywhere. just sitting here felt wrong, they should be out there helping. and they were hiding. it went against everything ranger thought. everything he thought he'd do in these situations.

andrew ethan astor-shaw (just so he can know what happens)

[Deleted]

Zander knew that Ranger would protest but succeeded in getting him in the closet anyway. He allowed himself to feel a moment of relief when Jinx caught up to them, going into the closet with Ranger. Zander looked down at his brother sitting on the floor at the question. What about you? Zander bent down, touching one knee to the ground and placed a hand on Rangers shoulder. "Please, please stay in here until I come for you. I will come for you," he promised. He stood then and before Ranger could protest he shut the door, locked it, and turned around so his back was against it. He took several breaths then, deciding what to do next. He would have to lock Ranger in there if he was going to go after his fath-

A blast of light and sound burst the bedroom door in front of Zander wide open, causing him to hold up his hands in alarm. He pushed his back against the closet door to block Ranger if he tried to get out. The ringing in his ears was so loud he couldn't even hear his fathers voice as his father ran in. He as mouthing something, something about Zander moving somewhere? Maybe about Zander running? Before Zander could answer, though, a blast of light his his father in the back and the man fell forward, right into Zanders outstretched arms.

Zander slid down the door, holding his father, screaming as loud as he could. Eventually, he stopped screaming to look up and for a moment, made eye contact with his fathers killer. The man in the mask simply tilted his head to one side before turning on his heel and leaving, seemingly taking the others with him. Zander stared for a moment, eyes wide, as the ringing in his ears started to die down...

That's when he heard Andrews voice somewhere far off...

andrew ethan astor-shaw (come on in buddy)
@emily
@ranger

[Deleted]

@zander @ranger @emily

Andrew and Emily appeared on the corner of his block. They had spent a late night out and were now making their way to his house for a snack before saying goodnight. Andrew had his arm around Emily's shoulders as they walked up the street to his home. He kissed her hair as they turned up his driveway, then he froze.

There was a hole where his front door had been. Smoke rose from the house and dust settled on the grass. Andrew felt his breath coming in gasps. "Mom... dad. Zander. Ranger!" his voice grew more frantic with each name and then he was running into the house, wand drawn.

The living room was in shambles, the couch blown apart and bits of stuffing were everywhere. He looked around frantically, but didn't see anyo-- He dashed to the kitchen, feeling a yell rip from his chest. "Mom!" he picked her up in his arms. "Mom, mom." he felt the tears start to run down his face.

He didn't know how long he was there but he remembered his dad, Zander, and Ranger. They were all here tonight. He gently set his mom down, trying not to look at her. "Dad? Zander? Ranger? Is anyone here?" he tried to push the pit in his stomach away, they were okay. They had to be. What had happened here?!

Andrew searched through the rooms on the main floor saving his parent's room for last. As he walked down the hallway he noticed the door was gone, he paused and closed his eyes to take a breath before walking in. His dad was in Zander's arms, limp. Sleeping? No... not sleeping. Andrew forced himself to look at Zander and not his father's cold face. He fell to his knees on the opposite side of his dad's body and wrapped Zander in a hug.

"Zander! Zander are you okay?" his voice was shaky, and it was hard to breathe, his breath was coming in gasps. "Where's Ranger?" he managed to get out.

[Deleted]

@zander & andrew ethan astor-shaw & @emily

he was locked in. it felt wrong. like he was a sitting duck. he came to his senses enough to shift forward onto his knees and rest his hands against the doors before him. "zander!" he called through them. this had been a mistake. why had he listened to his brother. why! he was about to pound on the door in the hopes of making his brother open them when light flashed under the doors and a horrible sound filled the room. it had his hands coming to his ears to block it out as they rung. what had that been. he blinked a few times to clear the dots from his eyes and he shook his head as his ears still rung. it even had jinx whining beside him. when his ears started to clear .. he almost wished they hadn't. he heard zander screaming on the other side of the door, a sound like none ranger had heard before and he lifted his fists again to hit them against the wood. he didn't think he could convince zander to let him out by screaming at him so the only way he could see was to break out. he started to throw himself against the door, feeling his cheeks starting to get wet. he hadn't even realized he had started crying. he hit the door over and over trying to open it but it wasn't working. his brother must have spelled them. he rubbed his hand over his knuckles. "zander open the door!" he called through it.

"Zander! Zander are you okay?" drew was there. ranger shifted to stand up, hitting his fist against the door again. "drew!" he called through the doors as he heard drew ask his brother where he was. he couldn't see anything through the cracks so he was guessing as to what was on the other side of his room. he hoped beyond hope drew, zander and his father were all there in one piece. but their mother .. he knew in his heart she was gone. he shuddered when he thought of how he'd seen her. laying there on the floor, her eyes open and without life in them. it was enough to make him sick. he choked back what felt like a sob and rubbed his hands into his eyes, his knuckled bruised from pounding his hands against the door. "let me out" he said as he rested his head on the doors before him, his fingers still pressed into his eyes as he waited for one of his family to let him out of the closet. he jumped a little when jinx let out a sharp bark, as if seconding wanting to be let out of the small room. he realized in that moment he was shaking, suddenly more than a little cold and he chewed his lip. he was starting to feel the effects of the spell that had knocked him forward, he didn't think he was dying but it was starting to hurt. though it was about 100 on the list of things important to ranger right now. getting out and finding out if his family was okay was number 1.

[Deleted]

Emily leaned into Andrews kiss as his lips touched her hair and closed her eyes. But her eyes snapped open when suddenly Andrew gasped. She looked up at the house. She'd been there once before, the day that she had pretended to be his brother Chase in order to mess with him before they had dinner there. That memory seemed like another life looking at the wrecked house before them...

Soon, Andrews breathing was quickening as he ticked off the names of the people who would be inside. He released her, running forward, wand drawn and she followed, drawing her own wand but she could already assess the damage from the distance. Kitchen destroyed, front door, obviously... the upstairs was mostly unharmed. Maybe Zander and Ranger and stayed up there during all this. But if they were anything like Andrew, she doubted that was the case...

They found his mother first in the kitchen and a hand flew to Emily's mouth. She watched in horror for a moment as Andrew yelled and cried over her, holding her in his arms. Emily lowered her hand and stood straighter. She knew that she had to be the voice of reason in all this, at least until they made sure the others were safe. She backed away slowly, looking around the room as she did. She left Andrew as he moved forward, calling the others to see if they were there. She headed upstairs and checked the rooms. She didn't see anyone there but she knew that Andrew had found them when she heard him saying Zanders name below...

She ran back down the stairs, wand still at the ready as she approached the room where Andrews voice was coming from. She stepped in and soon heard the other voice, Ranger calling from inside the closet. She moved forward, bending down beside Zander and Andrew, "I need you to move over now," she said softly, gently tapping Zanders shoulder until he had been able to slide over enough so she could open the closet door, just enough that Ranger could fall through if he was still leaning on it.

@ranger
@zander
andrew ethan astor-shaw
(Zander will go next)

[Deleted]

Zander couldn't hear Rangers pounding against the door or his pleas to be let out. His mind was only allowing Andrews voice to come through. "In here," he said in a whisper, eyes still forward on the spot where the masked man had walked away a few minutes before. Andrew seemed to have missed them considering Zander didn't hear any fighting going on. He didn't even notice that another person was there, too, considering she had stayed silent. Soon Andrew appeared in the door way and Zanders eyes fixed on him. There wasn't much emotion there in his eyes, though. Just a slightly dull stare with liquid brimming on the edges. Suddenly Andrew was at his side, kneeling beside him and wrapping his arms around him.

Zander swallowed hard at Andrews questions and gasping breaths. Zander didn't say anything at first, just staring straight forward as Andrew held him. Then someone else came in the door, someone Zander had met only briefly. Emily, right? She seemed calmer than reasonable as she told Zander she needed him to move over. He gently leaned to the side, even closer to Andrew as she tapped his shoulder. When he heard the closet door open he finally blinked, turning toward Andrew with wide eyes. "Ranger. I locked him and Jinx in the closet. Safe. They're safe," he said, eyes unmoving from Andrews face once he found it. "But mum is... and dad," he finally looked down at the body in his lap, in his arms and his throat quickly closed up.

@ranger
andrew ethan astor-shaw
@emily

[Deleted]

@ranger @emily @zander

Emily was in the room, part of him was so relieved that she was there, she would know what to do. Another part wished that she didn't have to see this, she should leave. She pushed Zander aside, causing him to lean more into Andrew, that was just fine with him. Anything to prove that he was okay, he was alive. Ranger's face appeared from the closet and Andrew felt a surge of relief run through him. His brothers were okay. Chase wasn't here, so he would be fine. Right?

Zander's eyes stayed locked on Andrew's face from the moment he walked into the room right up until they slid down to look at their dad. He confrimed that Ranger and Jinx, the dog, were safe. The dog came out of the closet and sat down next to Andrew, he seemed to know this was not a time for happy hellos.

"I know," he told Zander. "I saw mom." his voice cracked as he said it and he felt a tear run down his cheek. His eyes went down to look at his dad laying between him and his brother. He could only look for a moment before he looked away toward the carpet. But that didn't help, dust and blood scattered the floor. So he looked up at the only thing that could possibly help this pain. Emily. If he looked at her face for long enough, maybe his heart woulds top aching. His tears were hot and streaming from his eyes now. But he didn't look away from Emily, his arms still around Zander.

"Ranger... are you hurt?" he asked, eyes still fixed.

[Deleted]

@zander & andrew ethan astor-shaw & @emily

suddenly there was nothing between him and the ground in his parents room as the door to the closet was finally open. he managed to catch himself before he face planted though, landing on his knees he fell forward from the small room. his eyes went straight to the body of his father laying between his older brothers and his eyes widened. "no .. no no" he said as he scrambled forward, reaching to grab onto his dad's shirt. "dad?" he kept his fingers gripped onto the shirt and he swallowed. "he cant be .." he choked out as he looked up at drew and zander. the look on drews face said it all and he had never seen a look so horrid on zander's face. he looked back over at emily over his shoulder and shook his head again. "there h-has to be something we can d-do" he looked back at his brothers again, almost desperate for one of them to shake him and wake him up. it was a dream. it had to be. "Ranger... are you hurt?" he shook his head slowly. it didn't matter now. nothing mattered but what had happened. "d-doesn't matter" he mumbled as he wiped his hand to his cheek.

he slowly let go of his dad's shirt and sat back on his knee's, resting his hands on them he kept his gaze locked onto his fathers face. how could anyone kill his parents. how could .. he shuddered slightly at the thought and he closed his eyes, letting his head drop down for a second as his shoulders slumped. they were alone now. it was just the four of them. alone. he lifted his head quickly and set his hand on the ground by his knee, pushing himself up from the ground. "mom's alone .." he said, unable to work out how he could get the right words out. his head as a mess and his chest felt like it was going to burst any minute from the pressure and grief he was feeling. he rubbed his hand over his shoulder as he turned and walked from the room, down the hall. their house was almost gone. he wasn't sure how the second story hadn't fallen on their heads already. he reached the spot in the kitchen hall where his mothers body lay and he leaned against the door frame, letting his body slide down it and he took one of his mothers hands in his and held it close, pressing his forehead against her palm and he felt himself start to sob. they needed help. they couldn't fix this on their own.

[Deleted]

Emily caught Andrews eyes as soon as he looked up at her. She nodded once at him, showing that she understood that he needed to hold eye contact for a moment. Her gaze softened and she held his gaze even as he held Zander tighter and asked the now emerging Ranger if he was okay. The boy answered, his sentences broken and almost nonsensical. Emily kept her eyes on Andrews for a few moments longer as Ranger reached for his father and took in his brothers expressions. He claimed he wasn't hurt, but Emily didn't believe that. He mentioned his mother and stood up and that was when Emily took her eyes from Andrews. Ranger started to move into the hallway and Emily crossed to Andrew and kissed the top of his head, "take care of Zander," she said, kissing his lips before following Ranger into the kitchen. Ranger sat in the door frame, holding his mothers hand and crying.

Emily stepped forward slowly before deciding to sit beside him, her back against the wall so she was facing into the main room. She waited a few moments before reaching her own and over to take his free one. She didn't say anything, just sat there and held on tightly, even if he tried to pull away.

She barely knew the kid, really. She had only met him once and it was incredibly brief. That didn't matter now, though. She had a feeling she was about to get to know the Lloyd boys a lot more than she expected too this soon. Oddly enough, she was at peace about that fact. She didn't make a sound and didn't move to bring Ranger closer. No, she just waited.

andrew ethan astor-shaw
@zander
@ranger
(I'll post as Zander again but if someone else needs to go first that's okay.)

[Deleted]

Zander didn't take his eyes off his father for the next few moments. Even as Andrew spoke about seeing mom and Ranger was freed by Emily. He realized that he couldn't breathe, and that he wasn't even trying. He felt like his throat was shrinking, closing up the path for any air to get in or out. Andrews arms were wrapped around him and Ranger was muttering... something about trying to do something. Zander didn't even notice when Ranger looked at him. Soon, Ranger was leaving the room and Emily was following, telling Andrew to take care of him.

That caused him to look up at her as she walked out before turning his face toward his older brother whose arms were still there, strong as ever. "We need to call Chase," he said, his face completely stoic. He wasn't crying, he hadn't this whole time. Sure he screamed his lungs out and was now very hoarse, but that didn't mean he had cried. When Braelynn 'died' he cried for days, weeks even. He felt like now he had forgotten how...

andrew ethan astor-shaw

@emily
@ranger

[Deleted]

@ranger
@emily @zander

Andrew wasn't calming down, the tears were still coming, but his horror was changing. His parents were now gone. He was the head of the house. He leaned back from Zander as he contemplated this. It was his job to keep his brother's safe, his job to give Ranger a place to live. His job to deal with... this. He ran his hand over his eyes, wiping away the tears. He took a shaky breath then focused on Zander.

Zander was having trouble breathing, from the look of the color on his face. Andrew's brain went into auto pilot. He had to help Zander. His emergency training was suddenly at the front of his mind. Shock. Zander was in shock. Andrew walked around his father, grabbed a blanket, and knelt down next to Zander. He wrapped the blanket around his brother's shoulders and then turned him so that they were facing each other.

"Zander, I need you to look at me." he said. "Look at me, and breath at the same time I do." his voice was soft, but firm. He had used these techniques a lot in his line of work, but he never thought he would have to use them with his brother.