WHO: Owen and Zef Dearborn WHAT: Leaving on Jet Planes WHEN: Redeye Flight Time, Aug 30, 2017 WHERE: The airport WARNINGS: Everything is fine!!
"Maybe I could wait another day. Umbridge's bloody countdown still said there's two days left. I can stay one more day."
It took everything in Owen to not agree with his wife, to ask her to stay behind, that they'd roll with Plan 5.2 rather than Plan 12B and cross whatever bridge was coming once they got to it. If she registered and they took her wand, they could get her a new one. Maybe it would work out.
But Auror Robard's warning of "Don't let her do it" from the first mentionings of registration kept echoing in Owen's head as he looked at his wife, digging his fingernails into his palms as a distraction from the things he was feeling. "They'll probably be watching more methods of muggle transport tomorrow. They know people are going to be running, and that they're going to take as much time as they can to get things ready. It's... it'll be safer for you to go now."
Zef leaned against her husband's shoulder, watching the Business Class and Priority Boarding members board the plane ahead of her, her fingers intertwined with his. "If it gets too bad here, you'll come find me. You and Kevin are going to come join me there." It wasn't a question.
"And on the other side of the flight, if something seems off, you get out of there," Owen replied. They had plans for that. The backup plans had backup plans. And those plans each had at least three exit strategies.
"NOW BOARDING: PASSENGERS IN SECTIONS C AND D."
"That's you," Owen said gently as he stood, then turned to pull Zef to her feet out of her chair. "Have a good flight, Weronika Szkolangowski," he grinned, using the name on her fake muggle passport. "Eat some pierogis for me."
"I don't want to get on the plane. I have a terrible feeling about this."
"You can larp as Rachel from Friends later, love. Don't miss your flight."
With a sigh, Zef finally allowed Owen to pull her off the bench and into his arms. When the final boarding call sounded, she finally pulled away, looking up at her husband and not breaking eye contact. "Take care of my son. And make your brother take care of you. I don't want to come home and find out I have anything extra in common with your mother."
Owen felt something tighten in his stomach, but leaned in to give his wife one final kiss instead. "If it gets too bad here, I'll make sure Kevin gets to you."
"Owen."
"Ma'am, we're closing the doors now," the flight attendant smiled at the couple widely as her annoyance burned clearly behind her eyes.
"Fly safe, honey. I love you."
"Owen, don't you d-"
"Ma'am, this door is closing in 5 seconds with or without you," the attendant said, smiling like she'd had enough botox to where it was impossible to frown.
"Love you too. I'll call when I land," Zef added after one last rushed kiss before being rushed onto the plane. Owen continued to stare out the window long after the plane was out of sight.