"There is no despair so absolute as that which comes with the first moments of our first great sorrow, when we have not yet known what it is to have suffered and be healed, to have despaired and have recovered hope." -George Eliot.

It was as if all things had suddenly stopped at once. Ethan looked at Trotsky. "What happened that day?" He asked. 

"Ethan." Dumbledore started to say, but Trotsky cut him off. 

"Enough." Trotsky interrupted. "You've kept your secrets long enough. Frankly, I'm just shocked that you didn't tell the brothers what had happened. But now it's time to let the skeletons out of the closet." He declared. 

"What is this?" Jacob asked. 

"Here we go." Greyback commented like it was his favorite T.V Show.

"I'll tell you what happened? Better yet. Show you." Trotsky declared taking out a Skull-Hookah. He then took out his wand to project an vision. 

The scene through the smoke showed an image of an Auror fighting off against 2 Death Eaters.

"Dad?" Ethan asked recognizing the Auror. 

The Death Eaters then struck at Daniel knocking him to a wall. 

Daniel struggled to get up. 

"Where's the Potter Boy?" One of the Death Eaters asked. 

"I'm not telling you, bloody crap. Now Piss off." Daniel hissed. 

"Crucio!" The Death Eater shot the torture curse on him. 

Ethan just looked at the scene shaking his head. 

Daniel experienced a new feeling of pain within him. 

"Wrong answer." The Other Death Eater told him. "Fletcher. We still need him to talk." She said. 

"Quite right, Isabella." The Death Eater known as Fletcher Snyde released Daniel. "You'll decide when the pain ends when you tell us where Harry Potter is." 

"Even if I did know. I wouldn't tell you." Daniel replied. 

"Crucio!" Fletcher shot again. Daniel was hit again. "It required a lot of effort to hunt you down, Daniel Bauer. Our Death Eaters are in hiding because of that boy." Fletcher explained. 

"Iosef Trotsky thought we should go into hiding. But we can't live in hiding for Merula. I refuse to let it happen. Now. You can tell us where Harry Potter is, and we'll all go home safe and sound." Isabella offered.

"And what are you going to do with the boy? Kill him?!" Daniel roared.

"Yes." Fletcher answered. "One baby is worth nothing compared to the Wizarding World." 

"This coming from the Father of a girl who's the same age as my youngest." Daniel shot back. 

"This is different." Isabella pointed out. "Now you can tell us where Harry Potter is, or you can submit yourself to further pain." 

Daniel spat at her. "There's my answer to you." 

"Crucio." Isabella shot the curse at Daniel. 

"I have to admit. I'm a patient man, but even I have my limits." Fletcher explained. "I mean. I have to wait for Merula to prove herself worthy of being a Snyde for this long. Now I'm going to ask you. One last time. Where is Harry Potter?" He asked. 

"He's in a place where you'll never find him. Good luck, you Son of a Bitch." Daniel answered. 

Isabella looked at Fletcher. "Clearly, this was a waste of time." Fletcher declared. He looked at Daniel. And with no regret whatsoever. He took his wand. And he pointed it at Daniel. "Avada Kedavra!" 

And in one fell swoop. Daniel Bauer was dead.

The Image faded away. "Dad?" Ethan asked almost as if he was ready to cry. Jacob stood speechless. 

"Oh, man." Merula thought. 

"As you can see, Ethan Bauer. The ones who murdered your Father were none other then Fletcher and Isabella Snyde." Trotsky told him. 

"Dad." Ethan repeated. His hand gripping his wand tighter now. If it wasn't for the fact that the wand wasn't made of wood, it would snap in two. 

"Dad was killed by... the Snydes?" Ethan asked in disbelief. 

"Don't listen to him, Ethan." Penny commented. "This has got to be some sort of trick. This is the Death Eaters we're talking about." 

Trotsky turned to Dumbledore. "Go ahead, Dumbledore. Call me a liar." He dared. 

Ethan turned to Dumbledore who looked at Ethan, but couldn't meet his eyes. Instead he shook his head to indicate that Trotsky wasn't lying.

And it was as if Ethan's head was spinning upside down. Jacob just stood there in silence. "Ethan." He started to walk over to his brother. He was silent for a long time. Which was just as terrifying as exploding. 

Merula looked at Ethan. "Bauer. Listen. I know this looks bad-" She started to say. 

"Did you know?" Ethan asked. 

"What?" Merula asked. 

"DID YOU KNOW!?" Ethan repeated more loudly and in anger while making the ground shake. Everyone had to stand back. Nobody had seen Ethan get this angry before. And it was scary. 

Merula shook her head. "No. I knew that they killed an Auror. But I didn't know which one-" She answered.  

Ethan took out his wand. He charged right at Merula while shooting a flurry of spells right at Merula. "LIAR!"  

Merula had to use her shield spells to protect herself. But they were all knocked down. "Okay... He got an upgrade." She thought. But that didn't seem to matter. Ethan was now on the War Path. "Ethan! It wasn't me! It wasn't me!" She tried to reason with him. 

But right as Ethan was about to strike. Trotsky shot a spell at Ethan as his back was turned.

When Ethan fell on the ground. He looked around at him. His vision felt dizzy. But he was still standing. 

"Ethan?" Penny went up to him. 

"GET OFF ME!" Ethan yelled as he made Penny stand back. He looked at everyone. "You're liars. You're ALL LIARS!" And suddenly, he felt as if he was all alone in the world. "I trusted all of you and you kept this from me!" And one instinct was going through his mind. Run. And so Ethan ran away. "I can't believe I was dumb enough to think all of you were with me!"

"Ethan!" Jacob yelled deciding to go after him. He looked at Lizzie. 

"Go." Lizzie nodded. Despite the fact that she was still hurt. Ethan needed his brother now more than ever. 

Jacob ran after him. But not before he turned to Dumbledore. "Thanks for telling us." He said with a frustrated voice before going after Ethan. He didn't need to ask questions on where Ethan was going. He already knew where he would go.

"Well... that happened." Verruca commented. 

Trotsky looked at Merula. "Are you alright?" He asked.

"I'm fine..." Merula answered. But the truth was that she was not fine at all. 

"Verruca, take her away." Trotsky ordered. He then turned to his enemies. "EXECUTE THEM!" He ordered. And the fight resumed.

A bunch of spears were thrown at the Wizards. 

"Not here. Too open. Retreat!" Dumbledore ordered. And started to retreat out of the Ministry.

"Fall back! Fall back!" Ryder yelled to everyone. And they all left as the R took over what was left of the Ministry.

Ethan used the Floo Network to get back to the Woods near his home. Someplace far away from people. In all of his life. Ethan had never known his heart just collapse on itself like it did. He was upset. And the truth was... that everyone was against him now. For nearly the past 8 years. Ethan had been kept from the truth over who killed his Father. And it was the Snydes the whole time. It all made sense to him now. They were just natural enemies. And it only seemed fitting that Merula would do the same with that Devil's Snare in their first year. Or all those times that they dueled. It was Merula's family that took Ethan's Father from him. That took a good portion of his happiness away. And it wasn't just his Dad that Ethan was thinking about. 

He looked at one tree. And all the birds chirping around. And a tear had fallen on his wand. It had come from Ethan's own face. Trotsky had finally did it. He had broken Ethan completely. And Dumbledore? He was supposed to be the wisest man that Ethan ever knew. And Ethan wasn't told about what had happened to his dad, and Dumbledore kept it from him. The man who had watched out for Ethan since Day 1 since Jacob was expelled. And he kept this a secret. From Daniel's own children? He was heartbroken. People he thought he could trust, and they betrayed him. And who else knew about this? But there was more to all of this. Was Merula responsible too? He felt like he fell into a long trance and Ethan couldn't wake up from it.  

And Ethan fell down to his knees. And there was something else. When he collapsed on the ground, he had realized what he had done in the Ministry. He nearly tried to kill Merula. "What did I do?" He asked himself. "What did I do?!" 

That was when a figure walked up to him. "Ethan?" The voice of Jacob asked.

Ethan didn't turn. He just sat there. "How could he do this to us, Jacob? How could he not tell us about Dad?" He asked. 

Jacob remained silent. "All these years and he never told us." Ethan continued. "Why would he not tell us? Don't we deserve to know what happened as we were Dad's children?" 

"I don't know." Jacob answered. "I'm... I don't know." He didn't know how to word that next part. Jacob had struggled to figure out why he wasn't told of what happened as well. And of course it had to be Trotsky to explain what had happened to their Father. Except unlike Ethan. He didn't blame Merula for it. He blamed her parents. Merula's parents that treated Merula like crap. Well, except for her Mother. And her Father who had certain expectations that Merula had to live up to and couldn't. Ethan on the other hand. He was already unbalanced after he saw Ben get killed by Slayton. That little incident from Trotsky had sent Ethan spiraling further down the rabbit hole. He sat next to Ethan. "E..." 

"Please just leave me." Ethan requested his voice trembling. "I want to be alone." 

Jacob didn't move. "I'm not going anywhere." He replied. "Leaving you alone is just going to make you feel worse." 

"YOU'RE NOT DAD!" Ethan shrieked standing up. But then he fell down again. "He's gone." Jacob had quickly caught him and then hugged him. "He's gone." He remembered that funeral all too well.

England. 1981.

The Rain had come pouring down. And the 8 year old Ethan Bauer had held his Mother's hand along with Jacob's as they looked at the grave of their now dead Father. He saw one of the Minister Officials giving a Eulogy.

"...And so we gather here to lay to rest a Great Man, Wizard, Husband, and Father. The Ministry has not only an Auror. But also a dear friend. A striving example of what we all Wizards should strive to be. To fight in what they believed was right. And to keep us all safe from evil, just as he did for his sons. Jacob and Ethan."

The Ministry Official motioned for Jacob to walk up. Ethan held onto Caroline's hand the whole time.

Jacob looked at Caroline and asked if he really had to do this. Caroline gave him a look that said he didn't have to if he didn't want to. But Jacob decided to give it anyway.

"There were so many things I wanted to do with you, Dad." Jacob started. "So many things I shared with you. The times when we would play Quidditch in the field, when I got my first wand. And there were so many other things I wanted to do that I wanted you to see. Graduating from Hogwarts, becoming an Auror. Doing so many other things. I wanted to share those memories with you in person. I-I'm sorry Dad. I'm sorry." Jacob started to break down on stage. He couldn't go on anymore.

And that was when Caroline quickly ran over to comfort her son. And what was worse. Ethan wanted to see the look on his Dad's face when he got his first wand, win the House Cup for his Hogwarts House. Play the games that they would always play. Now Jacob and Ethan would have to play those games alone... without him.

Jacob hugged Ethan. "Mum? What are we going to do without Dad?" Jacob asked while crying and trying to comfort Ethan.

Caroline shushed at Jacob. "There. There. We'll be okay, Jacob." She assured. Although she was morning the death of her husband. Her Children needed her to be strong for them. All her thoughts of sadness had disappeared and instead she was looking to comfort her children.

And Jacob knew that he had to be the man of the House now. There was no other choice. It made Jacob grow up faster than he should've. His brother needed him to be the Father Figure right now. That's what Jacob thought of at that moment. But what Ethan really wanted, was just for Jacob to be his big brother.

Back to the Present.

Jacob was just hugging Ethan now. "I miss him too." He said.

And Ethan fell into Jacob's arms. Even more so when they were reunited in the Vault Portrait. "I attacked her." Ethan said not proud of what he did. "I attacked Merula..." 

"I know." Jacob replied. 

"When I saw her. I saw the face of the man and woman who killed Dad. I didn't care. I just... I couldn't stop myself. I hated being that person." Ethan explained. "I didn't mean to... I didn't mean-" 

"I know you didn't." Jacob interrupted. "That wasn't you." 

"But it was me." Ethan pointed out. 

Jacob still was hugging him. Because that's what Ethan needed at that moment. Someone to be there for him. 

By the time it was nightfall, Jacob had stood up. "Ethan. We should get back to Hogwarts." He suggested. 

Ethan nodded. People were probably wondering where he disappeared to. "Oh crap. How am I going to explain what I did to Penny?" He asked. 

"We'll figure it out." Jacob answered. And they both apparated back to Hogwarts. Or at least... close to the Black Lake. 

Ethan and Jacob had apparated to the shores of the Black Lake. The waters being rather calm. "It looks so quiet." Ethan said. 

Jacob nodded. "You would never know that there was a Cursed Vault underneath it." He said. "One we sealed up." 

Ethan couldn't argue with that one. That was when he noticed Dumbledore also at the Lake Shore looking beyond the waters. 

"Professor." Ethan simply said not making eye contact. 

Dumbledore didn't blame Ethan for not looking at him. "You don't have to make eye contact with me, Ethan. I won't hold it against you." He informed. 

Ethan didn't respond to that. He just remained silent. And Jacob just shrugged and didn't say a word. 

Dumbledore sighed. He knew exactly the reason why they were this silent. "I never told you about who it was that killed your Father for a reason." He explained. "It was no secret how much your Father loved you both, and how much you loved your Father in return. If you'd have asked him to walk through hell, he would've charged in without a single thought. And when your Father died. It devastated you two as well as your Mother. I feared that if you had learned who it was that killed your Father, you two would be on a path of vengeance. One that would've led you to pursue the Dark Arts themselves. A Dangerous Path. Or done something that might've gotten you killed. If anything bad happened to you. Daniel's Ghost would hound me until the bitter end. I didn't want to cause you two any more pain then you already did suffer." 

Ethan had to think about that for a second. "It was wrong of me to keep things from you. And for that, I do apologize." Dumbledore said. 

Ethan was left with his thoughts. He gave a look to Jacob. Jacob looked at Ethan back. It was something about that whole Brother Connection. "I wish you told us earlier." Ethan said. 

"And so do I." Dumbledore replied. 

Ethan took a deep breath. "Okay." He admitted. "I guess... that makes... sense. Just... no more lies. No more secrets."

"No more." Dumbledore agreed.

"Is there any other secrets we should know?" Jacob asked. 

"You mean other than my hatred of Dementors?" Dumbledore asked. 

Ethan muffled in a little laugh inside of him. But his thoughts drifted onto something else. "Did... everyone make it out of...?" He started to ask. 

"They're all fine. They're gathered in the Great Hall." Dumbledore answered. 

"What of the Minister?" Jacob asked. 

"He's safe in the School." Dumbledore assured. 

"We should go there." Ethan suggested. 

Inside the Great Hall. Several Aurors as well as the Circle of Khanna were trying to heal up any wounds. 

Ryder was carrying the limping Cornelius Fudge inside and to a nearby chair. "Minister? Are you alright?" He asked. 

Fudge sighed exhausted from the pain. He didn't know what had happened after Trotsky had attacked him. But he was more surprised that Trotsky let him go. "I'm alright... I think. What about the Ministry of Magic?" He asked. 

"The Ministry has fallen." Ryder answered. "Trotsky came with a plan to take over, and that's exactly what he did." He informed. 

Fudge looked down. The Ministry had indeed fallen after all. And he knew of the casualties that the Aurors had gone through. "What of the Order of the Phoenix?" He asked knowing that force would still put up a good fight. 

"They're all alright, sir." Ryder assured. "They've taken up residence at Hogsmeade along with some of our Aurors. We've got people making Camps for them to stay." 

Fudge finally felt his muscles relax. "Well done, Agent Ryder. You did the best you could." He said.

That was when the Circle of Khanna noticed that Ethan came in. Ethan didn't say a word, he just walked slowly. And everyone just looked at him all silently. All with concerned looks.

"I... wanted to apologize." Ethan started. "For losing my temper. I... I have no... excuses." Ethan started to say. "If you're mad at me. I'll just leave and you won't have to see me again.

That was when Penny went up to him and just hugged him. "I'm so sorry for what happened to your Dad." She said.

"We all are." Bill added. 

Ethan looked at his friends who were all just looking at him. Not because they were afraid of him, but because they were concerned for him. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..." Ethan said. 

"We know you didn't. It's okay." Talbott replied. "I probably would've done the same thing to my parents murderers if I was in your shoes." He admitted.

"Ethan. We all talked it over, and we agreed that Dumbledore should've told you when he should've. And that you didn't have to find out that way. I mean, years and years of not knowing the truth. I'd get mad at that too." Tonks explained as she came forward.  

"But um... maybe next time, don't leave your team all alone in the middle of a Trotsky attack at the Ministry." Jae suggested. 

Ethan sighed. "Oh Crap." 

"Don't worry. We all got out in time." Andre assured. 

That was when Ryder also walked up to Ethan. "Ethan. I'm sorry you had to find out that way about Daniel. I assumed that Dumbledore told you." He explained. 

"Everyone probably did." Ethan said. He still looked down. 

"What's wrong?" Penny asked. 

"The Ministry of Magic's fallen. Ben is dead. Trotsky did it. He took the Ministry. He won." Ethan answered. "We've lost." 

"Well, I wouldn't say that." Barnaby said. "I mean, we haven't lost entirely. We're all still here." He was trying to look at the bright side of things.

"Yes, but without the Ministry. I don't see how we can win against Trotsky." Ethan pointed out. "And with the Ministry now destroyed. What do we do?" He asked. And nobody had an answer for that. It truly was a dark day for the Wizarding World.

"Ethan?" A Voice asked. Ethan turned to see Caroline who was also holding the hand of Kassandra coming behind him. 

"MUM!" Ethan yelled running up. "Mum. The Ministry, Dad-" He started to say.

"I know." Caroline interrupted holding her hand up while still being calm. "Ryder told me everything." 

Ethan looked at his Mother. "Mum. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I nearly botched everything and Merula... she..." He apologized.

"I know you are. It's okay." Caroline assured. "You were just... so angry." 

"I was angry. I still feel angry." Ethan admitted. "I'm angry at Merula's Parents for killing Dad. I'm angry at people for not telling me what happened. I'm angry at Slayton for killing Ben. I'm angry at myself for what I almost did to Merula. I'm angry at everything!"  

That was when Kassandra ran over and hugged Ethan. Ethan returned the favor to put a hug on Kassandra. "Are you a-angry with me?" Kassandra asked.

"No." Ethan answered. 

"I'm sorry about your P-Pater." Kassandra admitted.

"He was your Pater too, Kassie." Ethan replied as he hugged his little sister.

Meanwhile at the Ministry of Magic. The Banners of the Ministry of Magic were being burned and being replaced by banners of Skulls and Snakes. The Sigil of the Death Eaters had now overtaken them. 

Statues of Ministers Past were being ripped down. And more Dark Witches and Wizards had now arrived in the lands where the Ministry of Magic they opposed once stood. 

The Wizards and Witches were gathered in front of Trotsky and his forces. "Witches and Wizards of the Ministry of Magic. You all know who I am, so I will not waste time with introductions." Trotsky began. "I come to you, not as a Tyrant as your Leaders of the Ministry, but as a Savior of the ways of our Magic. For too long, have we Wizards and Witches hide away our true power from the world. And for what? To keep ourselves secret from Muggles? A race that does not deserve to rule over us. Those Monsters, who have taken my wife and my daughter away from me. My little Ksenia. Who I found burned at the stake. For nearly 300 Years. This Ministry has acted under the thumb of their Muggle Overlords, bowing to every whim that the Muggles have made. And the Aurors who made it so that we could never unlock the potential we were always meant to be. For years we suffered unbearable hardships under these laws, and the harshest of penalties were inflicted. And so, I have acted. I have done what no other Wizard would dare to. The many different faces you see are Wizards and Witches around the world. Those who were suffering under the rule of Muggles. But no more. Never again, will we suffer under such hardships from a race that doesn't deserve its power that was just given to them on a silver platter. We Witches and Wizards will take on a new identity. A New World Order. United under one flag, one belief, one ruler, one race. A New World Order that will exist from today to the End of Time itself. Your Ministry and its ruler have abandoned you. All Aurors that have resisted and still desire to return to the ways of subjugation and surrender will be dealt with as traitors. Any collaborator will suffer the same fate." 

Trotsky had looked at all the silent faces. "I now offer you a choice. You can resist. And fight for the people that will hate and fear you and take away your homes, your families, your children for years to come. Though to do so would mean that you are against us. Or you can join us. Join the New World Order." He offered. 

Many Witches and Wizards all bent their knees. "NEVER!" One shouted. 

Trotsky looked at the Wizard who dared to speak against him. "You! What is your name?" He asked. 

"John Karasu." The Wizard answered. 

"No Foreigner will ever rule the Ministry of Magic. Especially a Russian!" Lily Karasu also shouted. 

"First correction. I am Ukrainian." Trotsky corrected. "Secondly. You will not join the New World Order?" He asked.  

"You speak of Unity and a New World Order." John said. "But I know what you really refer to. You speak of Genocide. And I will not take part in it." He declared. 

"Bring him forward." Trotsky ordered Diablo. 

Diablo grabbed John forward. 

"John! No!" Lily yelled trying to grab Diablo off of her Husband. But Diablo also grabbed her as well and brought them over to the stage where Trotsky was. 

"What I speak of is peace for all Witches and Wizards who have to hide who they are." Trotsky shot back. "Karasu. Ah yes. Your Daughter Tulip is one of the Circle of Khanna." He remembered. "Bit of a trouble maker from what Merula has told me." 

"Even making trouble. Tulip is a better person than you will ever be." John told him. "And I doubt that she will be part of your New World Order as well. And I won't submit my Daughter to live in a world of Darkness. Even if it is full of rules and order. They're wrong." He explained.  

"You'd do anything to keep your child safe and have her grow up. So much so that you reject my offer for peace and a place at our side." Trotsky noted. 

"Yes." John informed him. 

"You've earned my respect, Mr. Karasu." Trotsky replied. "However." He pointed his wand. "Since you refuse to join us. You are against us."

John knew that this was coming. And he was ready to accept death. That was when Lily also walked forward. "If you kill my husband you'll have to kill me too." She told Trotsky. 

"Step back." John ordered with fear in his eyes.

Trotsky looked at her. It reminded him of Ana in a sense. And how she would do anything for Iosef. To Death and Beyond. "Lily Karasu. Your Daughter does not need to be made an orphan. Join the New World Order." He told her.  

Lily looked at her Husband. Who was now looking with fear. "No. My Daughter is already an Orphan. John and I... we spent our lives devoted to the Ministry, but we ignored our most important assignment of all. We failed to pay any attention to Tulip. She became a Rule Breaker, because the rules kept us from her. Merlin's Beard. We rarely told her we even loved her. We don't deserve to be parents." She explained. 

Trotsky looked at his wands. One of them being Ksenia's. It was hard of him to believe that a parent could rarely tell their child that they loved them. Well, except for Fletcher Snyde. But Iosef, he told Ksenia how much he lover her every day. "Very well then." He declared. 

"Never thought, we would go down like this." Lily said to her husband. 

"You shouldn't have done this." John replied. But he knew that it was pointless to argue with Lily Karasu. That must've been where Tulip got that from. 

Merula was looking at the scene. She went up to Trotsky. "Father. We can't do this." She said. 

"I gave them a choice. They refused." Trotsky replied. 

"No." Merula protested. "This isn't right. We can't make Tulip an orphan!"

But Trotsky wasn't budging. "I've made my decision. And so have they." 

Merula looked at the two parents with looks of horror. "If you have any final words. Speak them now." Trotsky ordered. 

"Tulip! I don't know if you can hear this. Or if this message will reach you. But we want you to know that we're sorry. Sorry we were never there for you when we should've been. Know that we love you. We've always loved you. And know that you'll become a strong woman, perhaps even greater than we ever could be to you. And that our last thoughts were of you." John announced. 

Trotsky nodded. He then looked at the Karasus. "AVADA KADAVERA!" The Green Energy beams came out and killed both Mother and Father. 

Merula had to stand back. Shocked by what she just saw. 

Trotsky turned back to the rest of the Ministry. "Does anyone else wish to meet the same fate?" He asked. 

Everyone else bent their knees afterward. But Merula had looked her head down. She never wanted all of this suffering to happen. What was worse, was that Ethan had tried to kill her. But after what her parents did to his Father. It felt horrible to think about that. Sure, she talked a big game. But that's all it was. Talk. It felt wrong. So wrong to be with R. She knew it wasn't right. And who else was going to die?