Cornelius

"So, what do you want?" Kerry felt the pressure too. He slowed his speech slightly and asked, "Do you need money? Or do you have some political demands?"

Martin's voice was choked with sobs as he said, "I don't need any of that. I'm standing here because this world has shut every door on me!"

"I have a daughter named Renina. She just turned seven... She's sick. The doctors said it's a disease called Huntington's disease, and it's terminal..."

"Oh, God..." Soft-hearted as Mrs. Weasley was, she could not help letting out a sympathetic sigh.

The pain and despair in Martin's voice seemed to spread through the airwaves:

"Renina's condition has progressed very quickly. The doctors said... her bodily functions are failing across the board. Soon, she won't be able to walk on her own, won't be able to speak, will lose her memory, and may even completely lose the ability to swallow..."

"In just a few years, she'll leave us forever because of total physical decline and weakness..."

Mr. Kona frowned. "Poor child. She's only seven..."

Mrs. Kona gently took his hand and said softly, "To ordinary people, illness can be even crueler than a wizard's Dark Magic. I'm glad I found you, but most people... aren't as lucky as I am."

She was even more grateful that her children had been born wizards too, spared from the troubles caused by most illnesses.

But Michael looked even more grave. He said in a low voice, "With a motive like this for hijacking a plane... if they can't cure his daughter, then no amount of money will make him abandon his plan..."

Inside the receiver, Kerry seemed to confer with someone for a while before speaking. His voice carried a steady calm that soothed people:

"Quinn, I understand your love