The entrance courtyard was filled with the dead and there was no better way to describe it. All around the border of the courtyard were chairs and tables where soldiers and servants were sat, the founders, and Helena too, were helping and sat at a couple of tables asking questions. Papers were scattered on all the desks, question sheets for the dead that lined the courtyard but spanned far as the eye could see. There were more than Hela ever thought possible and she knew some of them, she wouldn't be able to help, and it tore her apart. She just wished she could at least get them to the in-between and into Valhalla, but she couldn't touch their souls.

"Princess," a young voice said, and all their eyes were drawn to the toddler running to Dahlia smiling while clutching her two dolls. Her brunette hair and blue eyes were instantly recognisable to Dahlia and she kneeled as the little girl crashed into her and giggled.

"Hello, Lucia," Dahlia said and tickly her tummy for a moment, "you better not be here alone, where's your mummy and daddy?"

Lucia giggled then pointed behind her and low and behold, Eva was walking over with some papers in hand and curtsied before she said, "Queen Hela, Princess Dahlia".

Dahlia rolled her eyes, "Eva".

Eva smiled and said, "Dahlia".

Dahlia opened her arm and gave her a one-armed hug before she asked, "what are you doing here? Is William here?"

Eva shook her head and answered, "a friend of his is getting married. The next two days are all celebrations for the men, so I decided to help here when the Queen asked". Eva then handed over the pieces of paper to Hela and said, "your majesty, some of the ghosts have already began their questions but more are coming by the second. All the paperwork so far is at your desk with Lord Falcon at the end".

Hela looked to the end of the courtyard and did see Falcon going through some papers. Three separate piles, one for Niflheim, one for Valhalla and one for the people that they were unsure of. It was the first time she had seen Falcon since she broke up with him and she froze on the spot, not wanting to speak to him but then she felt someone nudge her and looked to see it was Dahlia. She was giving her a discrete nudge and Hela said, "thank you, Eva. Please, get my sister a table and show her what to do".

"Of course, your majesty," Eva said, and Hela then walked away to join Falcon.

As Hela walked away, Dahlia turned to her friends and said, "Hermione, Neville, this is Eva. She is my maid but more importantly, my friend. This little giggle box is her daughter Lucia".

Lucia giggled again as Eva said, "hi, I've heard so much about you. It's nice to put faces to names".

Neville waved slightly as Hermione said, "you don't look older than us". Realising what she had said, she quickly said, "sorry, I meant-"

Eva laughed and said, "I know. It's probably because when I died I was your age, 16, almost 17. Short version, I fell in love, father disapproved of him, we tried running but he killed us. We reunited and married on Niflheim then adopted this little troublemaker".

"Momma!" Lucia protested.

Dahlia and Eva laughed, and Eva said, "this way. There's space next to my desk".

They followed, and they did find an empty desk next to Eva's and Neville and Hermione sat down at one desk while Dahlia sat with Eva on hers with Lucia sat on her knee. Akio and Tonks stood behind, Akio stood frozen while Tonks was looking around shocked at the number of people, but even more shocked at the children.

Eva explained, "don't be shocked by their ages and stories," more for Hermione and Neville and Tonks as she could see the woman was shocked. Eva continued, "there are so many that have suffered the unimaginable but if you slip up and get any of this wrong, it could not only hurt the Queen and Lord Falcon when they transport the souls, but you could damage their souls. All the questions on here, must be answered and in as much detail as possible. If you think you don't have enough room, it will automatically make more under the questions. If you think they go to Niflheim, they go in the grey box in front of you, Valhalla in the gold and if you are unsure, put them into the black box. Don't panic, there are a few council members, the founders, you know them". Eva gestured to the desks near Hela's and Falcon's and saw the founders not asking questions but reading while Helena was learning from them. Eva continued, "they're reading everything we send their way to make sure our decisions are right before passing them onto Queen Hela and Lord Falcon".

"Are you guys okay?" Dahlia asked. Hermione and Neville nodded, and Dahlia added, "you need help just ask".

"Okay then," Eva said, "let's get saving souls".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"There are too many," Falcon said as he went through the papers without even turning to look at Hela. "Far more ghosts than we ever expected and they're still coming. Hundreds upon hundreds, probably more than a thousand by now and they're still coming. It seems like word didn't just spread throughout this country".

"We always wanted to save them, we can now," she said as she stood beside him, their hands on the desk close but neither one looked at the other.

"I know...I guess this wasn't how we pictured it though...the numbers".

"No, I guess it isn't...we'll get through it".

"How?"

"Like we always do...we work together. Forget about everything else and just focus".

"And if focusing is harder...if the number of ghosts is distracting?"

"Then we have to push the numbers aside and focus on what we always wanted".

"And what about obstacles in the way," he said and stopped moving papers around and leaned against the desk with his hands. He continued, "lies, truths, obstacles...what if a ghost lies?"

Hela had enough and turned to look at him and said, "we both know we're not talking about the ghosts, so just say it. We can't help these people, if you can't even look at me".

"I'm not the one who lied about loving the other. I said I can do my job and I will".

"I'm sorry".

"A little too late," he finally looked at her and the pain in his eyes caused her own heart to ache, "you should have never used me to get over your grief. To say you loved me but you used me as a distraction. When I confessed my feelings, you should have just told me no, that you didn't, and we still would have made all the changes we did. It would have hurt less than having all these memories of kissing you, holding you, telling me you love me...the sad thing is, I still would have done it all again to have those memories with you, I still would have done it again if it helped to ease your grieving". He scoffed as he looked away and shook his head, "I guess it doesn't matter anymore...I say instead of doing one transfer like we did with Helena Ravenclaw, we do the Calarisar ceremony. That way we can send fifteen ghosts at a time and I'll just have to pick them up from the in-between later".

Hela nodded, not that he could see, and responded, "it's a good idea, we'll get through everyone quickly. Are you sure though? That many extra souls to collect, it's like a time of war".

"I'll be fine".

"You had to stop eating and sleeping last time for days and Ari had to stop you from eventually collapsing".

"Like you care. We have the first fifty done to send over," he then walked past her before she could object on his safety.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dahlia had just finished another questionnaire, this one for an elderly woman that died from Dragon Pox when she looked up and saw a familiar face. "Sir Nicholas, you want to move on?" Dahlia asked the nearly headless ghost which attracted the attention of both Neville and Hermione.

The ghost nodded, "yes, many of us here have decided to see what is next. As much as we like seeing the young learn, we miss our lives".

Dahlia nodded, "you won't regret it. The universe is so much bigger than you think, you'll be occupied for years just getting your head around it".

Hermione then said, "we'll miss you, Sir Nicholas".

Neville nodded in agreement and Dahlia said, "I remember you telling us you miss eating, you can do that there. You don't have to, but people love the taste, especially with the mixtures of food across the realms".

Eva then jumped in and said, "for your first meal, I suggest you go to Petals. It's a restaurant, they mention it at your orientation. They do a mixture platter of the best foods from each realm, so you get used to it. It's just in the centre of the Capital".

Sir Nicholas nodded and said, "I shall remember, thank you, miss..."

"Just Eva".

"Try ice cream, try ice cream!" Lucia said still sat on Dahlia's lap.

Dahlia laughed and said, "ice cream parlour, all the flavours you could possibly imagine, and I mean all. More flavours than Bertie Bott's beans".

Sir Nicholas nodded seriously at Lucia and said, "I shall make it a priority, little lady".

Lucia smiled as Dahlia said, "I have to ask you some questions though to make sure you can go to Niflheim. It is important you tell me the truth or else it could cost you your soul or permanently damage it, do you understand?"

"Yes".

"Okay then, full name".

"Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington".

"Birthday?"

"August 11th, 1430".

"Death?"

"31st October 1492".

Dahlia hesitated as she looked up from writing and said, "very personal question now...I need to know how you died, why you died, and the method and what exactly happened".

Sir Nicholas only nodded as he answered, "I was knighted and was a courtier at the royal court of King Henry VII. I was strolling through the park one evening when I met with Lady Grieve. She had crooked teeth that made her insecure and the other women of the court would tease her, so I told her I could fix them. I was certain I could do it but the spell I used backfired and instead of straightening her teeth, it caused her to grow a tusk. I was immediately taken into custody where they took my wand, so I couldn't escape from the dungeons. I was soon sentenced to death. The next morning, I was taken out to the courtyard of the palace, escorted by a priest, and told to put my head on a block but he was an inexperienced executioner and didn't sharpen the axe before, so it was blunt. It took forty-five hacks before it killed me and even then, they didn't sever my head properly".

"Sorry, Sir Nicholas," Dahlia said as she finished writing his answer. Then asked, "have you ever committed a crime?"

"N-" he said then thought to himself and shifted and said, "does taking sweets from a market as a child count?"

Dahlia let off a small laugh and said, "no, I think a lot of people have done that, you were a child. It gets written down, but nothing should come of it". She wrote his answer then asked, "have you ever killed anyone? Self-defence, war, saving someone's life and cold bloodied murder are all included".

The Gryffindor ghost hesitated in answering but answered that question for her, but Dahlia needed to hear him say it. He sighed and said, "yes. A wizard village by the name of Foxmirth, it's long since gone now, but it was under attack and the King sent us to defend it. I and others went but the dark wizards that were attacking would not stop. I killed three men".

Dahlia nodded as she wrote down his answer and replied, "you'll be questioned by someone else later about this. If it was done defending the village like you say, there shouldn't be any repercussions...have you ever hurt a child?"

"Never," he said almost insulted by the question.

Dahlia nodded then dropped the quill as she placed the paper in the Niflheim pile and said, "okay, Sir Nicholas, go stand with those ghosts over there," she pointed to the end of the courtyard where there were a group of ghosts being spoken to. "You'll be told from there what is going to happen".

He nodded and said, "thank you".

The next person that approached Dahlia was a woman. She seemed to be in her late 40s and was holding hands with a little girl who was in Hermione's line and stood now in front of Hermione, both having to have their own questions asked. Hermione and Dahlia glanced at one another before Hermione smiled at the little girl who looked no older than seven and said, "hello, are you okay?"

The little girl then hid behind the woman and the woman said, "I'm sorry, she was nervous about coming here today when we heard what was happening".

Dahlia smiled at the little girl as she poked her head around then asked the woman, "is she your daughter?"

"Yes," she answered immediately then sighed, "no, but she is in all but blood".

"What's your name?" Hermione asked as the young girl looked at her but kept her arms tightly around her mother.

"Mama," she said and looked up to her mother.

"Go on," her mother encouraged.

"Andrea Fry".

"Is that her birth last name?" Dahlia asked cautiously knowing families didn't always mean blood and names change, just like the little Lucia still sat on her lap who found her true family in death.

The mother shook her head and replied, "her parents' last name was Gerre, my name is Katrina Fry".

Both Hermione and Dahlia wrote the names down and Dahlia said gently to not affect the little girl badly, "I have to ask you some questions to make sure you can go to Niflheim. It is important you tell me the truth or else it could cost you your soul or permanently damage it, do you understand?"

"Yes," Katrina said and looked down to her daughter who nodded.

"Okay then, birthdays?"

"Mines October 3rd, 1640 and Andrea's is June 15th, 1681".

"The days of your deaths?"

"We died on the same day. November 18th, 1688".

Dahlia glanced between the two of them and said, "we need to know how you died, why you died, the method of death and what exactly happened?"

Katrina looked down to her daughter and sighed before she answered, "the 17th century was a dangerous time to be a witch, especially a young one born into a family of Muggles".

Hermione gasped as she looked to Andrea and said, "you're Muggle-born?" Andrea nodded nervously, knowing not everyone liked her because of it. "So am I," Hermione said and smiled, and Andrea gave her a quick small smile.

"As I was saying," Katrina said, "it was a dangerous time, the Statute of Secrecy hadn't been made yet, but the magical community kept to itself because we were being hunted, more of us were being burned, hanged and drowned every day. Many of them who they assumed were witches weren't but there were a few that were. Mostly Muggle-borns who refused to help them. I lived in the forest, not too far away from Andrea's village, I liked to keep myself to myself. I found her, however, in the forest, she was six at the time. She was helping the flowers bloom with her magic and she was happy but then her biological mother came, and she stopped. I knew she was Muggle-born and I knew I should stay away but I couldn't. A few weeks later, I saw her doing it again, so I approached her and she jumped and was so scared that I saw her use her magic, she thought I'd hurt her, so I showed her my wand and magic and we just connected. For her seventh birthday, I even took her to Diagon Alley, of course it wasn't as big as it is now, but it was still exciting for her. Time went by and she told me she wanted me to take her, to run away, but she didn't tell me why. All I knew was that she was scared so I said yes but I needed a few days to talk to some friends for our safety..." Katrina looked down at her daughter clinging to her and smiled as the little girl smiled back. The mother then looked back to Dahlia and Hermione and said, "turns out her father was a witch hunter".

Hermione gasped and said, "he wouldn't...his own daughter," she looked between them and Dahlia.

Dahlia nodded and glanced down to Lucia on her lap and said, "not all parents are loving, 'Mione. There are orphanages on Niflheim for children that are abandoned, unwanted, and even murdered by their parents. There're very few children that are there because their parents are in Valhalla and they get taken in by their grandparents or other relatives".

Hermione looked shocked as Katrina continued, "a few days later, a friend was at my house, she had created a Portkey and a safehouse for us to go to. I was never very good at Apparating. It was then I heard Andrea running to the house, crying and shouting my name but then she started shouting 'run they're coming for you'. I told my friend to leave and she did with a bit of resistance, she had a baby, so she couldn't stay. I went outside to see witch hunters surrounding my house and Andrea was on her knees as her father held her by the hair with a gun to her head. I was going for my wand then I was knocked out from behind...I woke up attached to a stake about to be burned and I looked in front of me to see my little girl attached to a chair, ready to be drowned in a lake. I was told by her birth mother that I corrupted her child, let Satan in and all the usual stuff they said. They then lit the stake and began to lower Andrea and she began shouting mama as she looked at me crying and that's the first time she called me that. All I could do was tell her I love her, and we died".

Hermione gasped and put her hands to her mouth and looked at Dahlia who just looked down to the table before looking at her friend and said, "she's not the first, probably won't be the last". She then looked to the ghosts and said, "wait until you get to Niflheim and you hear the story of what really happened between Merlin and Morgan Le Fay. You won't feel so alone for having a child born Muggle-born and loving them as your own".

"We can go?" Andrea asked for the first time smiling.

Dahlia nodded, "sounds like it. We just need to ask you both a few more questions, that's all...okay, have you ever committed a crime?"

"No," Katrina answered, and Andrea shook her head.

"Have you ever committed murder? This includes self-defence, war, saving somebody's life or the usual cold bloodied murder?"

"No," Katrina answered again, and Andrea shook her head.

"This one doesn't apply to Andrea but Katrina, have you ever harmed a child?"

"Mama wouldn't," Andrea said defensively.

"It's okay, baby," Katrina said to calm her, "no I never have and never will".

"Okay," Dahlia said, and she and Hermione finished writing their answers. They then both put their papers in the Niflheim piles before Dahlia sighed and said, "it's official, you can go. If you go over there, it'll be explained what's going to happen next".

"Can I stay with mama?" Andrea asked nervously, "I don't want to go back to the monsters".

Dahlia answered, "you will never go back to them. They told you who I was right?"

Andrea nodded, "the princess".