For three days Nathaniel stayed in that little prayer room, fasting and praying, hoping that God would forgive his sin. Nathaniel wasn’t sure how God could ever forgive him since he doubted that he would ever be able to forgive himself. The blood of an innocent woman was on his hands.
Pounding on the door broke his reverie, but Nathaniel remained silent. He heard creaking, and a shaft of light pierced the darkness in the room as the door opened.
“Get up,” a voice ordered. “Father Benn, you have to get up.”
Nathaniel turned and looked into the face of William, whose eyes pleadingly looked into his own. “Harold and Elizabeth Mason were arrested yesterday,” William continued. “Ruby Hartfield this morning. The Inquisitor hasn’t left. I fear that he is just getting started.”
“Harold and Elizabeth Mason?” asked Nathaniel, speaking aloud for the first time in days.
“Yes,” William answered.
“Ruby Hartfield?”
“Yes.”
“All on charges of withcraft?”
“Yes.”
“Dear Lord, what is happening in our world?”
“You’ll never know if you stay in this room.”
“William…Thank you.”
“I made us breakfast.”
“Later. First I need to have a talk with the Inquisitor.”
William nodded as if he had known what his answer would be all along. But Nathaniel was not surprised. William seemed to know him better than he knew himself. It had been a blessing the day William had appeared at his door looking for work, and even a greater one when each of them realised that one was a wizard and the other a Squib.
Nathaniel approached the local gaol, which the Inquisitor had been using as his headquarters, and knocked. One of the locals opened the door.
“Could the Inquisitor spare a moment of his time?” asked Nathaniel confidently.
The man gestured Nathaniel inside, and had him wait in the entrance way, while he disappeared into a side room.
Nathaniel didn’t have to wait long before the man returned and announced, “Inquisitor Borden will see you now.”
Nodding his acknowledgement, Nathaniel stepped into the room. It was a simple room, filled almost entirely by a large desk covered in papers. Behind the desk sat a man that Nathaniel would have known was the Inquisitor even without being told. He sat upright and bespoke of authority and confidence. He was a man who had the power to determine life or death and he knew it.
Deciding to precede cautiously, Nathaniel said politely, “Inquisitor Borden.”
“Yes, Father Benn.”
“I heard you arrested Harold and Elizabeth Mason, and Ruby Hartfield.”
“You heard correctly.”
“Sir, I know they are innocent of these charges. They are all God-fearing men and women. They are not witches.”
Borden sighed and stated sternly, “You are a friar of the Augustinian Order. Your training is that of a monk and a priest, not witchcraft. I am well acquainted with the devil’s work, you are not.”
If only you knew.
Nathaniel lied, “I am well aware that I have not had the training, but Harold and Elizabeth are two of the most pious people I know; they regularly contribute to the good work of the Lord. Ruby…”
“Enough,” Borden ordered. “I was not sent to here listen to your mutterings. The Archbishop sent me to free this village from the devil’s grasp. It would not be wise to stand in my way.” Borden’s eyes looked cold as he stared into Nathaniel’s own. “Have I made myself clear?”
Nathaniel gritted his teeth as he answered, “Yes, Inquisitor.”
“Leave me.”
Nathaniel quickly bowed and left the room. The conversation had made a couple things very clear: Rufus was wrong about this mess quickly blowing over, and that Borden had the authority to go over his head. Exiting the building, Nathaniel headed back to the church.
William met him outside. “How did it go?”
“I was lectured. Apparently, I don’t know anything about witchcraft.”
William smiled and lowered his voice. “It’s a good thing you don’t really know anything.”
“As least as far as the Church knows, and it has to stay that way.”
Grabbing his arm, William stopped him and asked, “Then why are you part of the Church when they hate us so much?”
Nathaniel answered with a question of his own. “Why do you associate with wizards, when most treat you way they do?”
William looked pensive as he replied, “There’s no simple answer is there?”
“No,” Nathaniel agreed.
“What are we going to do next?”
“Did you talk to the wizards?”
“Yes, and they’re determined to wait this through.”
“Three more people, William. How many lives are worth that of a wizard’s?”
“What should we do, Father?”
“Pray. Other than that, I don’t know.”
“You’ve prayed for past three days. Did it make any difference?” Nathaniel looked curiously at William; no one had ever asked him that before.
William, however, looked abashed. “Sorry, Father. I spoke out of turn.”
“You never have to apologize to me, William. Do you think that just because I am a friar I never doubt?”
William didn’t answer, but before the silence became uncomfortable, they were distracted by a boy running past. When the boy paused to catch his breathe, Nathaniel recognized him and called out. “Peter.”
The boy turned and ran over. Peter looked worried and his face was flushed from running. When he opened his month the words tumbled out between short gasps for air, “Father, we didn’t...we did the right…Edwin said so.”
Nathaniel placed a gentle hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Peter, breathe deeply. Now tell me what happened.”
After a couple of deep breaths, Peter said, “We went down to the creek, and a boy was there. I think Edwin spooked him. He jumped up, disappeared, and then was on top of a tree. Edwin said he was a witch, and that I should go get the Inquisitor. As I left, I saw Edwin pick up a rock and I heard screaming. So I ran as fast as I could.
“Did I do something wrong, Father?”
Nathaniel stood in shock as he tried to think of something to say, but William was already moving. He was running off towards the creek. Giving the boy’s shoulder a comforting squeeze, Nathaniel took off after him.
As he ran, gasping for air, Nathaniel cursed himself for being so slow; the village fed him way too well. It seemed like an eternity before he reached the creek. When he did, Nathaniel saw a group of older boys clustered around a body. William, who was kneeling by the body, looked up at his approach, tears following down his cheeks.
Nathaniel gasped as he recognized the body. It was Russell, a boy too young to control his magic, lying dead on the ground. His heart stopped as he cried out softly. “May God save us all.”
“And indeed he will, Father Benn,” declared a voice behind him. Nathaniel turned to see Borden dismounting his horse. “With the help of God, we will soon free this village from the devil’s grasp.”
Nathaniel turned and demanded, “What God demands the murder of an eleven year-old boy?”
“Not a boy, a witch!” yelled Edwin, one of the older boys standing around the body. “We saw him by the creek, muttering some witch stuff and chased after him. Then he disappeared, and we saw him sitting on top of a tree.”
Borden nodded, and said, “Good work, boy. You have removed a servant of the devil from our midst.
Borden’s praise burned in his ears, but Nathaniel knew there was nothing he could say, the deed had been done and the boys would be honored for it. Nathaniel caught William’s eye and saw his friend’s jaw clenched and hands balled into fists.
We can’t do anything now, Nathaniel pleaded with his eyes.
William’s hands unclenched and slowly rose. Borden noticing the movement addressed him, “You, Gravedigger. Burn the body.”
Nathaniel thought for sure that William was going to hit Borden, and thanked God that William managed to keep his temper and simply answered, “No.”
“The Church commands that the body be burned so that his soul can no longer torment those on Earth,” Borden replied.
William was steadfast. “He will be buried in the churchyard where he belongs.”
Borden voice rose. “Do you dare defy the word of God to honor the devil’s servant?”
“The only servant of the devil I see is you,” William spat.
Borden stormed toward William, his face was red in anger. William raised his arm to block a blow that never came. Nathaniel watched in horror as William’s sleeve fell down to his elbow, as Borden’s eyes flickered to a small red mark on the inside of William’s arm, as William saw the smile forming on Borden’s face and hastily put his arm down. Nathaniel knew in his heart what was coming, the instant before it did.
“What is that?” Borden demanded.
“What?” asked William, trying and failing to look confused.
“That mark on your arm. The touch of the devil leaves marks behind on his servants.” Borden smiled as William’s face lost all color. “Was that where the devil held your arm as you pledged his soul to him?”
“No!” Nathaniel ran and placed himself between the two men. “Inquisitor, please listen to me. William is faithful servant of Christ. He has served the Church and this village tirelessly for the past ten years.”
“Get out of my way, friar,” Borden said with contempt, pushing Nathaniel to the ground.
Nathaniel grabbed Borden’s robe and pleaded, “Don’t condemn a man for a comment made in anger.”
Borden ignored him and ordered the crowd to arrest William. Nathaniel’s fingers slipped as Borden walked swiftly back to horse and mounted. After only some of the men who had followed him tied Williams hands and picked up Russell’s body did he address Nathaniel. “Father Benn, with the passion in which you defend these witches one might believe that you are in league with them. I suggest you return to the church and stay there until this affair is over.”
With that, Borden spurred his horse into a trot and left the kneeling friar behind him in the dirt. Nathaniel shook and was barely aware of the others leaving.
One boy remained behind. “I’m sorry, Father. I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault, Peter.”
Tears filled his eyes as he watched the boy walk home. He had told him the truth, it wasn’t Peter’s fault Russell was dead, it was his own. He should have stopped this while he had the chance. Now, Russell was dead and William was certain to be condemned. Nathaniel knew without asking that the wizards would continue to do nothing; William was only a Squib. As Nathaniel remained kneeling on the ground, guilt threatened to overwhelm him.
The death of two people was on his hands now, two of his flock. As a friar it was his duty to be a shepherd to the flock of Christ’s followers and he had failed. Now that four more sheep were being led to slaughter, could he continue to sit back and watch the wolves devour them? Christ, the ultimate Shepherd didn’t. He gave his life so that none of his sheep would ever die. Nathaniel had pledged to live a life worthy of Christ, but he was never more ashamed than he was now to call himself Christian.
But what could he do?
As Nathaniel contemplated that question he heard a man stumble into the clearing. The man asked, “Is this were it happened?”
“Aldwin,” Nathaniel said as he stood and embraced him. Aldwin broke down into tears as he held him.
“I was a fool,” Aldwin declared.
“This isn’t your fault.”
“My son. They killed my only son. Is this God’s punishment for my sin, Father?”
“Never.”
Aldwin pulled back as he continued, “He was so excited. He couldn’t wait to start Hogwarts. He wanted to be Hufflepuff, just like you. He believed so strongly in what you said. He had such a strong faith. Does God have a place in heaven for a wizard?”
“God does not forget any of his children.”
“Then why does he let his Church treat us so?”
“There are some questions of which we will never….” Nathaniel stopped mid-sentence. He had been about to say, know the answer, when the answer hit him.
The answer was obvious.
“They believe the only way someone can have magic is through a pact with the devil. They don’t know that magic is a gift from God. They don’t know because we never told them.
“The Wizarding World is so afraid about letting Muggles know of our existence. But by remaining silent we are bringing about the prosecution we fear.”
“What are you saying?”
“We have been silent for too long. I will not remain silent any longer.”
Aldwin protested. “Father, you’re mad. They’ll kill you!”
“That may be so, but we all must die sometime.”
“Gertrude and I are leaving. We refused stay in this village any longer,” Aldwin announced. Then looking at Nathaniel he pleaded, “Come with us, Father. There is nothing left for us here.”
“My flock is here, and four face death. I will not run, Aldwin. My loyalty remains with them.”
Aldwin looked dejected as he said, “I guess this is goodbye.”
“Never,” Nathaniel whispered. “We will meet again, whether in this world or the next.”
“Go with God, Father. May He protect you from this madness.”
Nathaniel nodded and watched as Aldwin slowly walked back down the road. Nathaniel didn’t know what would happen next; he wasn’t even confident that he would survive. He just knew that he had to try. What would happen afterward was in God’s hands.
Thy Will Be Done by Gonz
Chapter Notes: Thanks again to LucillaJoanna for being a great Beta!