January 30, 1945
Saturday Early Evening
Harry ran forward with his sole remaining guard in tow, his eyes focused on nought but the way Senior Auror Coopler fought the two dark wizards across from him. Wivkers was still unmoving, his eyes lacking warmth or recognition as they looked upwards into the night sky. Arianna was still lost to them, her position and whereabouts unknown as no hint of a body nor mark were left where last Harry saw her.
"Get down!" Harry shouted as they finally closed in on the three fighting wizards, his spell alight with a killing curse directed towards the wounded wizard whilst the girl beside him began to transfigure cover around their bodies, lest spellfire such as the one he just sent was turned towards them and away from the Senior Auror. "Avada Kedavra!"
Again, Harry fired the killing curse, this time to the right of the man and in preparation for his dodge, but it never came. His first spell impacted the Dark Wizard in the chest, his body dropping to the ground as easily as they had when Harry had fought against them in Hogsmeade and upon the Hogwarts grounds. With that one dead, the other hissed something in a foreign language and started to take steps backwards whilst maintaining his offensive; he meant to flee now that the odds had turned against him and unlike the inexperienced fighters they'd taken on, he knew that Harry and the Senior Auror together could not be bested.
"Stay near me," Harry whispered over his shoulder, only just loud enough for the girl to hear him as he moved with her towards the man, advancing slowly and cautiously so that no mistakes were made.
The Senior Auror saw him pressing Grindelwald's man and moved around to his other side, forcing the man to continuously move in such a way that he couldn't be flanked which only made him go further inwards and away from his only means of escape. It was death or victory for him now and Harry would give him the former due to what he'd done.
One spell, that was all it took with the two others beside him pressing Grindelwald's man and like that, he fell to the ground, his bones inverted whilst terrible screams sounded. His death would be slow, the spell he had used, a modified one that he'd learned from Elaine during one of their darker lessons. It was especially painful, dark beyond most others and caused the slow liquidation of one's internal organs, but for a follower of the worst man alive in centuries and as one who had just killed at least one Auror in addition to many civilians, Harry could justify it internally. Horrible pain would be all he felt in the end, as he had done to say many before his soon-to-come death.
"Arianna?" Harry asked, the man's screaming turning into whimpers and muted sounds with choking replacing it all not too long after.
"I was unable to keep my eyes on her when the fight broke out. They were stronger than the juniors thought and they went forth recklessly. It is my fault they are gone, Deputy Director," Coopler said, his one remaining full fist clenching repeatedly while his mutilated hand held firmly onto his wand.
"You two will stay here, secure Wivkers body for his parents and find Arianna - hide if too many come, use the emergency portkeys on the perimeter we placed if need be, just stay alive. This is an order, I need to go in and get the others if it's gone as badly as it might have," Harry held up a hand when the Senior Auror made to speak. "You've got loads more experience than I do, you've fought in wars before I was alive and done so expertly. I can't pretend to know better than you, but I can tell you to keep yourselves safe instead of me. You can tell the Director later, when you're both alive and well how I ordered you to leave me."
Coopler didn't look happy, but Harry knew for a fact that he saw some sign of respect or the like in the older man's eyes. It was obvious and it was definitely very welcome. He couldn't be perfect, he wasn't meant to lead Aurors, especially younger ones without the same aptitude as his friends had, but he could only do his best.
That's what he would do.
Slowly and with his wand raised, Harry entered the front portion of the building. Immediately, he noticed that the structure was sagging, there were embers and bits of fire just as well as dead bodies, all of them Muggle, civilian or Grindelwald goons thus far. He took a few brief seconds to send all of them save for the goons outside and as he progressed into the next room, seeing much the same, he put charms over the bodies that weren't hostile to ensure they remained intact. In the end, the families of those who had been murdered could get their bodies returned… it was a token gesture, but one he hoped they would welcome as it could grant some measure of peace.
As he went further in, the first Auror body littered the ground beside two of Grindelwald's followers, he noticed how there were chains attached to the walls and ceiling. They were rusty for the most part, but one larger pair that was definitely Muggle-made was fresher than all of the rest and covered in blood, old blood, enough to say that the person who had once hung on it was no longer walking the earth. As for the sounds of battle as he continued moving, they continued, only they were muted enough to make him realise the fighting had migrated to the basement almost exclusively.
I need to be faster, he thought as he urged himself forward, his throat constricting as it did all those months ago when he'd gotten overly nervous and anxious; it was none of the former and all of the latter this go around. He had rushed in with his Aurors, people that were meant to be under his protection all for the sake of revenge and whilst they were all talented, they didn't seem to have the same level of divine protection that many of his friends had when they'd gone up against Voldemort's lackeys.
That was evident when he made it towards the source of that excessively large explosion and saw three dead Aurors in addition to eight dead goons of Grindelwald. What he hadn't thought, however, was that an Auror would be responsible for it, but he was wrong. Beside the body of a younger woman dressed in Auror robes, was a wand and across from her was the explosion. Three dead Goons were present at it, all in varying degrees of fucked up. Their bodies were torn apart, their inners exposed and their hair caked in blood; she had died and in return, killed the three of them so that the rest of her team could continue safely without the risk of being set upon in the rear.
Harry took care of her body just as he'd done with the others he had found and when the fight was over, he would most assuredly be visiting her family first. All would be visited, but hers would be given whatever they could and her story would be told to the masses, it wasn't only he that needed a heroic status.
Again, Harry advanced and this time, he could hear the screams of battle, yells of agony and pleas for help. The lattermost sounds were from people of all ages based on the sounds they made. Young voices and old voices, women and men, his Aurors had made it to the prison cells where a desperate last fight was taking place. He would join them, he would upraise their spirits and join in the killing of Grindelwald's Goons.
Harry raced down the stairs, he turned the corner and what he saw was one large, hollowed-out corridor that looked very crudely done. On the right was a large cage pressed into the wall and inside of the cage were nearly forty people, all of them dressed like typical Magicals but they had no similarities in the sense of their status' or appearances. It was obvious that the Goons had captured whoever they could get their grubby hands on.
Ahead to the left, I can still see the spells flashing… they're on the right too, they split up, Harry raced paced the pleading people and made it to a crossroads. On his left, the entrance to the room was blocked by a hastily transfigured wooden barricade and on his right, he could see straight into the room. There were seven or so of Grindelwald's goons fighting half as many Aurors, the fight looked even and those Aurors that remained were some of the more experienced ones amongst other veterans.
Again, he looked to his left and with his wand, he threw down the simple barricade to see what lay in wait for him; it was all that remained from his side and the other, simply put. There were ten Aurors and about the same number of Grindel-Goons. Six of them were recognised off the list of those who were more dangerous and infamous for their deeds, six of them would never see the light of day or the beauty of the night sky again.
Harry picked the left room, the one that looked slightly in favour of Grindelwald's remnants and behind him, he transfigured a more firm barricade back in place. He wouldn't be caught unawares from behind and neither would those who fought alongside him. They would finish the fight, he would finish the fight.
When his presence was noticed, the Aurors began to fight harder and a few of them let out sounds of cheerfulness. The man who killed Grindelwald was here even if he wasn't supposed to be and those that they fought were surely doomed because of it. For Harry's part, he did his best to look intimidating and confident for the older members of the Auror Force, as they hadn't as easily bought into his fame as the younger generation had.
He joined the fight, his wand a blur and his shield crackling with spells as the Goons fired at him with hatred in their eyes. All of them knew who he was, they had survived long enough to hear the story and know what had happened to their 'great, all powerful' leader. Grindelwald's wand, the one he had worked miracles and massacres alike with, now lay in Harry's hand; he reckoned that was the biggest insult dealt to them out of everything.
On and on the fight raged, seldom a person falling from either side until Harry advanced, urging himself forward for victory… and he was blown back, through a thin wall and into a far older, dirt-foundation room. He barely had the time to catch that final detail before he rolled to his side, a series of knife-shaped transfiguration hitting where he had been.
When he looked to where they had come and rolled himself back into a good enough position, he saw his attacker as well as a dead Auror at his feet, the latter only just having fallen when he tried to aid Harry. It was the butcher, the man who was said to lead this group of Grindelwald's remnants, and he looked just as evil as his portrait had shown. His eyes lacked a soul despite him being alive, his face was scarred worse than Levesque's and his expression was one of pure concentration, not rage as Harry had expected.
"Our cause is just, our master was just and you, Harry Peverell, will fall so that a new man of his talent may rise up. All that we fought for, all that we gave up and all that we lost will not be for nought," the man said, calm and stoic before he entered the dirt-walled room and started his attack, no Aurors or allies of the Butcher coming in after the pair of them.
This is my fight and mine alone, Harry thought as he dove again to avoid a nasty-looking sickly-yellow spell. He dies here, not me. Never me.
Again, Harry dove to the right and finally, using his Quidditch talent and skills, got himself back on his feet so that he could return the favour to the man. "Your cause was murder, I've seen evil people before but none were worse than the lot of you. You'll all be forgotten in a century's time, I promise."
The man wasn't a fan of that, he frowned even as he and Harry launched spells at one another, but he never snarled or screamed, shouted or charged. He was as patient, confident and veteran in his fighting as Grindelwald was. There were practically no mistakes, no errors or openings, and Harry could do nought but fight the man.
Spells clashed, shields were broken, the very walls turned to mud and stone throughout the fight all the while their allies battled one another. It almost seemed as if this would go on forever, but Harry, his breaths coming rapidly and his chest unevenly rising and falling, took advantage of the last thing that he could think of in this battle of titans. He used the mud at the man's feet and brought it up, into his eyes. It lasted for all of a second before the man wiped it away with a flick of his wand that seemed far too simple, but that was all that Harry had needed in such a confined space.
His own injuries were forgotten, his blood turning the ground to mud doing nothing to his stance as he fired off his recently favourite spell; the killing curse. It surprised the man, his eyebrows raised with a cold smirk on his face as it struck his chest, the butcher was finally silenced and Harry wasted not a second as he tore out into the larger area, where the others still fought. A few Aurors had died, a few more of the Goons had died but with Harry returning and the Butcher gone, the fight was all but over.
Not one minute later, silence save for groans of pain and the occasional pleas for aid had fallen. Those that had surrendered were tightly controlled and those that had refused to now lay dead on the ground in a place where their bodies would never be found. Their home of depravity and murder would be their tomb, its location would be lost to time when it was cleared and those inside rescued. Harry would see to that, he promised himself, some of the purest anger and hatred he'd ever felt in control of his heart whilst his mind tried to act the part of his position.
It was difficult but what was worse, he could see why Elaine treated her enemies so poorly; they deserved it, they had given up their status and right to life when they'd turned into monsters worse than Voldemort had been.
"Harry? Is everything alright?"
With a few blinks to clear his mind and refocus on the task at hand, Harry looked at the source of the voice and saw the Director along with the Head Auror Maxis. Director McMacson looked worried, his typical friendly look fallen off his face in favour of something between pride and nervousness.
"Sorry," Harry answered, smiling as best he could as he rubbed at his still sore left arm - he'd fallen on it far too many times when he made his ground-level dodges. A few of the younger Aurors had joked that he wasn't as young as he used to be when the fight was over and they'd fully completed the assignment. He hated to think like that, but truly, he felt like they weren't all that wrong. "What were you saying? I'm a bit tired after all of that."
"I was saying you don't need to be here anymore. Your wife prepared an evening for you, the task is over and we have plenty of people to interview. You've given us the losses report in addition to more than we needed from you specifically. Go home, rest, relax and bring those two friends of yours with you, everybody involved has earned some time off," McMacson said with a smile on his face and his arms spread wide in a gesture of peace and happiness.
"Arianna," Harry said, shaking his head as he got back up to his feet. "I should go and take one last look around for her with the Aurors on site. Nobody knows where she went off to or if it was her choice, we don't even kno-"
Urban Maxis, the Head Auror, shook his head as he folded his bulging arms. "We'll take care of our own, we always do and right now, you're one of our own. You're as stubborn as my children and only a few years older than them, which doesn't bode well for me, but you need to take a break, Peverell. Rest as the Director said or else he'll order you to take some time off as he's threatened to do with me. Don't worry about Arianna, I have a few of our best trackers on site now."
McMacson nodded and patted Harry on the shoulder as he gestured to the Floo. "If we find out anything, you'll be the first to know, now you best get going. I don't fancy making my bosses angry and she'll be your wife before too much longer, so that'll be twice as bad for you if you dally in the Auror office all night."
Harry smiled at the two older men, shook their hands and he was off. The fight hadn't gone how he'd wanted it to, but they'd won. Their losses had been more severe than they'd planned for, but so too had Grindelwald's goons lost more than they'd expected, there had even been more present than they had thought. It was a victory, the first they'd had against the people terrorising the countryside and with nearly one-fifth of them gone, dead or captured, the attacks should be far less prevalent.
He felt accomplished for the first time yet in his new job.
January 30, 1945
Saturday Late Evening
"Hello Harry, " Greeted the voice of Elaine upon his flooing into the main room of their home, her tone most assuredly annoyed yet sugary sweet, a combination that meant terrible things for him when night came about.
He grunted in response a form of 'hi' that sounded far from it and then he fell towards the nearest couch, which just so happened to be the one that she was seated on. Almost immediately, her hands were on him and he was rolled onto his back, shortly thereafter she was astride him.
"Our guests are in the dining room, the last of them all arrived nearly five minutes ago. You, Aster and Reinhard took far longer than I had thought you would, you're not losing your touch, are you? Should we do more lessons? Would you enjoy it if I allowed you to go as hard on me as you'd like?" Elaine's tone was promiscuous and her hands wandered towards parts not often touched with how busy they'd been… save for when they were in bed, Elaine was very intimate and whilst she wasn't outwardly as crazy, he would bet she was still as lustful towards him as ever.
"That's not necessary," Harry said in response, shaking his head as he made to get back up and picked her up in the process so that she was no longer resting on top of him. "It's the new Aurors, they're all undertrained, fresh out of schools across the commonwealth or never trained in any form of fight like we are. It's nothing to do with the department, we haven't got even a few weeks to get them up to our standards and we can't wait, not with the dozens and dozens of people against us in the countryside."
"You should have me help. I could lend aid in material and via our friends of which we have many and more on account of our defeat of Grindelwald. You're well aware, I need not go into details I think. Still, I imagine we'll need to have another conversation regarding these activities before too long unless you and the others are able to completely defeat what remains of Grindelwald's men within this next week - do you find that possible, or is it such a demand too high for you and the others to face?" Elaine cocked her head at him as she gripped his hand, clearly, she knew the answer already, but she wanted to see his thoughts on the matter, or rather, if he would acknowledge they couldn't defeat the remnants after this one raid.
"We can beat them, we've already done so and as I previously stated, it wouldn't do if everybody thought I needed you to save me. Grindelwald was felled by the pair of us, remember? Do we want to present a front that says we need each other for any and all victories?" Harry shook his head and didn't give her the time to answer such a question. "No, I would think this isn't something we'd want others to think about us. It'd make you and I both look weak, not just me."
Elaine smiled and shook her head at him, one of her hands running down his arm from the top of his shoulder until she had a solid grasp of his hand. "You've come so far since the first time I called you my equal, darling, but I think these past few months are the truest such words have been. Let us greet our guests now, it is time and I should think Aster as well as Reinhard will have much to say."
I bet they will. Aster killed his first person today and Reinhard, he's done in dozens and dozens by now.
"Let's," Harry said as he took hold of her arm, cast a cleaning charm on himself and led the pair of them towards the dining room, where their guests whom many he had not seen since the battle, were waiting.
Harry and Elaine entered the dining room together, hand in hand with one of the new house-elves right behind them; its name was Hilly and Elaine had purchased him solely to have another butler house-elf around so that Harry's friend wouldn't be taken from him, as she'd said in her own words.
"Hilly, you will see to it that the kitchen sends out food within the next five minutes or we'll need a reason why that's not happening," Elaine ordered as they drew closer to the small group of friends they'd invited over; Sarah, Veronica and Marcus had opted not to come, they wanted to meet with Harry and begrudgingly enough, Elaine, somewhere less private.
He didn't understand why they seemed so nervous about meeting with him, but he'd allow them their caution so long as they didn't get too crazy with it all. They were meant to be friends, nothing less and with the potential for a more formal, diplomatic alliance.
"If it isn't the man of the hour - Pev, hurry over, hurry over. I was telling the others of your deeds today," Reinhard, far more talkative than he usually was and with a mug of something in his hand called out once he saw Harry had entered with Elaine. "First Grindelwald, now The Butcher! Here's to the greatest prodigy the Auror department has seen in hundreds of years."
Nobody else toasted, but that didn't stop Reinhard from downing the remaining liquid in his cup as Elaine and Harry finally got within a few feet of the table.
"Good evening everybody," Harry greeted softly and with a bit of tiredness in his tone. "Sorry that I kept you all waiting, it wasn't my intention. Aster, Reinhard and I were rather caught-up with a few things, but that's been dealt with as I'm sure you've heard by now. You're all hungry, right?"
Daphne raised her nose, Corene cocked her head at him to the left side and the rest of those gathered looked at him curiously. Druella, Aster's older sister, of whom Harry had not seen for quite some time, narrowed her eyes at him and stood up from her seat; she was the only one to stand even as Elaine made to sit.
"You killed Grindelwald? It wasn't Elaine that cast the final spell?" Druella asked, her eyes roaming him up and down.
"No," Harry said, shaking his head as he tightened his hold around Elaine's hand. "We killed him together, her and I. It doesn't much matter which of us did the final strike. It's good to see you too, by the way. It's been quite some time since we saw one another."
Druella snorted. "I taught you a few spells here and there, we practised together and you were pretty decent, all things considered. How'd you go from where you were to killing Grindelwald alongside Elaine? You can't just brush past this either, I'm sure I'm not the only one that's very curious about the whole chain of events that led to his death."
"You're not," Daphne said, speaking up for the first time with her eyes flickering between Harry and Elaine. "I've been ever so curious since I heard the battle was over and saw the reporters interviewing our two friends."
"If you don't want to share the details or go into them right this moment, tomorrow morning or later in the evening should be fine for me. I'm patient, I can wait another dozen hours, but I'd like to hear at least the short form of what happened before I return home to tell my parents we should throw everything behind the two of you," Druella said with her hands now settling on her hips as she looked firmly at Elaine, her eyes only occasionally finding Harry for a scant few seconds.
"We can share how it happened tomorrow for tonight, I would like to visit and spend time with those within my inner circle," Elaine said, a hint of firmness in her tone as she stood up taller, to her full height. "Grindelwald's slaying and the details therein can wait for just the same as anything else save for the immediate future. Aster and Reinhard as well as Harry should share what happened this evening, for the security and rise of our families to power relies on the Ministry being seen as incompetent and us as the only reason it hasn't fallen."
Daphne snorted and leaned back in her chair. "That's already a sure thing at this point. The Minister went and got himself killed, the Chief Advisor currently acting as the Minister until elections can be had is incompetent at the highest echelon of our Government as seen by his attempts to appease everybody and a majority of the other Directors are too old, save for McMacson. Before too long, the Wizengamot members who haven't chosen their sides will do just that, I'm certain of it."
Corene nodded. "Neutrality will be seen as a weakness or as those fishing for an opportunity to further their own ambitions or wealth. Should you pressure them, they'll join the opposite side but if you attempt to buy them, the cost will be high - the old way that we spoke of years ago would be best, it's simple."
"Old way?" Harry asked, looking between Corene and Elaine with a disapproving look about him even if he didn't fully understand what that meant; it didn't sound good, Elaine's pout-filled expression told him it couldn't be anything too good either, more likely it was something she'd try to get him to allow via seduction or promises, as she always did.
Elaine leaned in to whisper into his ear upon his question hitting the air. "We can speak about it later, but suffice to say they would live, only in a state of fear due to past actions or personal perversions."
Blackmail, Harry thought with a flip of his stomach. I suppose she's right, at least they would get to live but some of them probably wouldn't want to, depending on what they have against them.
Harry didn't respond back to Elaine, he simply squeezed her hand to tell her that he would be speaking with her about it later but, for now, it would be fine. They didn't need to argue in front of friends they hadn't seen for nearly a month.
"Why don't we go in a circle and see what's new in our lives?" Harry said, breaking the awkward silence that had fallen when Elaine had whispered to him with a clap of his hands as he pulled out the aforementioned girl's chair for her. "You lot have probably already filled one another in, maybe you've even seen each other since the Battle, but I'd like to know what you've all been doing."
Elaine made to speak, only she paused when the house-elves came out with food long enough to give them a thankful smile - something he loved that she did for the creatures even if it was a front - and only then, after acknowledging them, did she resume with what she intended to say. "I would be just as interested as Harry would be regarding the personal happenings of you all, the two of us will go last," her head turned to Harry, her eyes seeking his out. "When you've all finished, I'll share something new I've learned about our wayward companion."
Wayward companion sounded an awful lot like Yaxley in Harry's mind and while he wanted to complain about her not telling him, he realised that she hadn't the time to do so. He had arrived home late and unless they wanted to keep everybody waiting, he would have to hear the news the same as they did. When he glanced around the table to see their reactions should they have deduced who she meant, he noticed that all seemed unimpressed or uncaring save for the two that he assumed; Aster and Reinhard.
The former looked nervous and worried with a myriad of other emotions on his face whilst the latter wore but one look, that of rage. Pure and without anything to hinder it, Reinhard looked the picture of angry and both of his meaty fists were clenched, likely in the thought of pummeling the boy they all saw as a traitor even if he had fed information to Elaine. In all honesty, Reinhard probably thought the same as Harry did, that being that Yaxley had tried to play both sides and ended up the loser of both. If that assumption was right, the boy would spend his life like Malfoy Senior if he were lucky and if not, well, he wouldn't need to worry for very long.
"I will begin, if I may," Corene said louder than usual, drawing all of the eyes in the room towards her whilst a few of those eyes' owners went about creating their plates.
"Go ahead," Harry said with a smile at the girl.
She was still the one he trusted most of all. More than Sarah, the girl who had stopped speaking with him as much as she once had, more than Marcus or Veronica, the former had only invited him over once and the latter not ever. Even more than Aster or Reinhard, for the two blokes that he considered his best friends were such polar opposites of him in too many ways despite their close friendships. Truthfully, the lads seemed to lack the ability to share their darkest thoughts with him and whilst that alone wasn't bad, their motives for joining Elaine weren't half as good as Elaine's, especially Reinhard's.
Harry still remembered how all the boy wanted to do was hurt others and Aster, all he had wanted to do was stay with his friend regardless of what that meant. Loyalty to that degree was extremely respectful, but Harry couldn't replace Reinhard and with that being the case, if it was him or Reinhard, Aster couldn't be trusted half as much as he would hope.
"… how my own interview was finished," Corene said, pausing for a breath and raising her nose when she made to continue. "For the next week following, I rested and spoke with my parents. My mother was especially happy and proud of our efforts, she threw a party and invited over the entirety of my family. Grindelwald's death has become a holiday for my family and whenever any of you visit again, there will be a gift given in honour of your participation. Finally, these last two weeks, I've been working with my father to inherit his political positions and aid in running House Carrow businesses."
"That's surprising, I didn't think your father would pick you over your brother," Daphne said without a hint of reservation whilst she looked at the younger girl, the smallest of smirks on her face.
Corene didn't mind, she didn't react which was all too normal of her. "Father deemed me the more beneficial candidate even if my brother will eventually come to lead the family publically. You won't have to worry about that, not unless your family has changed?"
Daphne's smirk fell off her face at Corene's response, but before anything could happen, Elaine clapped her hands together and pointed at the next person, Druella. She and Aster looked between one another, likely due to them doing much of the same things since they'd last spoken with the others of the group and as such, when she finally answered, it was together with Aster.
"When the Battle was over, my first worry was ensuring the safety of Aster," Druella said, pointedly looking at her younger brother. "I learned that he practically controlled all of the other Slytherins that follow you and I learned what potion it was that you fed to them all, albeit unknowingly. It was quite the gamble regardless and I do hope you're aware that in doing so, they'll no longer be able to use it for decades, if ever again."
Elaine nodded, no remorse on her face as she motioned for the other girl to continue, lest they get bogged down in something that would end up going nowhere and changing nothing.
"Once I arrived and found Aster, I pulled him home before the reporters could get ahold of him. Mother and Father didn't speak to him beyond ensuring he was alive and well, they had more important things to be doing as they said. When they left that evening, we went into their office, looked through their records and began compiling lists of those we would need to contact when we inherit the many businesses our family runs," Druella smiled and nodded to Aster.
"We found a few other… interesting parcels in our father's desk and we'll be keeping those private. They don't pertain to anybody in this room, nor will they ever so long as we don't cross wands. All in all, we've been focusing on collecting lists of suppliers for our businesses and potential allies should they share our dreams of the future. Druella will give the list to you, she's the one who did more of the work," Aster then elbowed Reinhard. "You're up, biggen."
Reinhard huffed. "Built up my strength, learned a new spell and practised all of my typical ones. Got a new instructor from my father too, the old one doesn't come about anymore. We had some differences in opinions and how our training should continue."
"Straight to the point as always," Daphne said, clearly unimpressed with the larger boy's ability to speak and describe what he found himself up to. "After the Battle, I was summoned by the Professors and removed from my position for allowing a large contingent of students to charge into battle against Grindelwald's followers. Slightly over a dozen of them died, which is less than expected and whilst that's very good for us and my firing was expected, we've still run into the problem of having nobody within our circle working within Hogwarts. Not unless your ambition and the help of Slughorn is diverted to another within this exact circle, Elaine."
Elaine shook her head. "I no longer think it necessary for anyone to take any form of post in Hogwarts. It was meant to be a stepping stone towards the Ministry, a way for relations to be cultivated and specific jewels plucked from the fields of obscurity, but that's no longer remotely needed with my current position secured as it is. When combined with Harry's Deputy Director position and the fast-track promotions Aster and Reinhard will have within the department as well as another strategic placement of Abraxas and you, Daphne, we will be situated near perfectly when the time comes for us to make our move."
"Many will oppose it," Daphne said, still speaking instead of passing the torch over to Emilene, the last of their small gathered group.
"Many will find themselves with personal problems leaked and barring that, some will be moved out of the country for their safety," Elaine said as if the answer was done as easily as she spoke the words.
Harry nearly spoke up at her threats, but he reigned himself in. So long as she doesn't murder everybody or anybody, really, I don't care. If it means peace, stability and a more mentally-stable Elaine, then a few dozen people leaving the country forcefully isn't all that bad… no matter what person comes into power, people will leave. It's normal, yes, very normal.
"Emilene," Elaine said, taking over since Harry was lost in his thoughts. "It's you, I do believe."
"I've continued my designated assignments and encouraged my parents via suggestions, subtlely placed documents and copies of the Prophet on what routes they should take in the upcoming elections," Emilene said, speaking as if she was reciting something instead of thinking, such was how automatic it sounded. "Do you mean to run for Minister in the emergency election four months away, or are you intending to wait until the term is over to do so?"
Elaine didn't look pleased with Emilene's speaking and Harry couldn't begin to wonder why - that was entirely sarcastic, he doubted she wanted him to know that all of them had designated objectives instead of just Corene the Spymaster and Reinhard the Muscle.
"I haven't spoken about it with Harry, yet," Elaine said, side-eyeing him even as her hand wound its way around his. "We would need to discuss our marriage, our family and the future of our houses in addition to all of the political machinations people try to drag us into."
That was that. Everybody had said their piece and now they all did the same as Harry; they looked at Elaine, her earlier promise now due.
"For simplicities sake, I'll start with the matters that won't end up having me questioned or rudely interrupted," Elaine said, her hand, again, tightening around one of his. "Harry and I have continued to consolidate power in our positions, myself especially doing so very successfully whilst Harry's first major raid ended in the liquidation of nearly sixty of Grindelwald's shattered forces. The Chief Advisor will soon appoint Director McMacson to an Advisor position himself, thus elevating him to appease his power base while keeping me in my current position to appease your families and the others that back me. Harry will be the only choice to move up lest he steps on his toes and in doing so, we'll control the first of three Departments I aim to take. Daphne, you'll be assigned with the Magical Cooperation since Abraxas is far too inept at diplomacy and he will do what is currently keeping him away from us this very evening, that being working with the Muggle Department. We want them firmly under foot before any moves are made, lest they reach out for assistance to the so-called 'counter-part' Muggle Government."
Scowls went up all around the table save for Harry and Corene, but even the latter didn't seem all that pleased at the thought of Muggles being their equal; the thought was native to Harry and obviously alien to all of them. Merlin, he still remembered how Aster thought of them as a separate species, almost like pets.
Aster coughed as a few seconds of silence fell and in response, Elaine took a long, slow draw from her mug. One that made it very obvious she was delaying it due to the simple fact that she could. Everyone still watched her, all of them curious and only one knowing, Corene. Her ability to know everything was curious and Harry had forgotten in recent times how helpful that could be… perhaps he'd steal her away for the Auror office, the help could do wonders in preparing for future raids.
When Harry noticed Aster's fists clenching and unclenching while Elaine dabbed at her lips with a napkin, he moved one of his hands below the table to tap her on the thigh. She didn't flinch or acknowledge his touch save for the quickest of looks shot his way, but not more than a few seconds later, she ended Aster's torture.
"Yaxley is alive, hidden away in the country and waiting for us to come to power so we could offer him a pardon, should we choose to do so," Elaine clapped her hands and food appeared. "That's all I deem fit to share - eat, drink, relax and let us enjoy the company we all provide to each other for the first time in nearly a month. I'll hear no more of this particular matter, friends. "
Harry knew when she was being stubborn and when her mind was made up and nothing more would be spoken about. It seldom if ever happened with him, but when others were present, much could be dropped. He would get more of the truth out of her later and only later, Harry would do that for Aster, he promised himself and the boy with one simple look.
"That was eventful, wouldn't you say?" Elaine asked with a tinge of a slur from the vast amount of wine she had drunk before retiring for the evening.
Harry nodded in response, feeling the effects of said alcohol himself. "I would say it was quite the evening, yeah. Corene, Daphne, Aster, Reinhard, Druella, Emilene, they're all doing well but I didn't think they'd be as sociable and… well, normal, as they were. Only Aster really seemed all that different."
"Aster's always been very mentally weak. He's squeamish when it comes to violence or when it comes to what must be done for any hope of a decent future - you're different from him even if you seem changed from the violence you've taken part in. You don't relish in the deaths of those you've fought nor do you grieve for them, you simply hate the loss of magical blood due to their own ignorance and I can understand it. What you need to understand is something else entirely; not everybody is able to adapt and change for our new world, those that can't, those that are stuck in the old ways, will be relegated to history," Elaine patted the spot beside her on the bed, still smiling after those dark words. "With the Minister gone and much of his support base fighting inwardly, who knows, perhaps our time will come sooner than we had thought. Wouldn't you like that?"
No, but I know that it's needed. Grindelwald is gone, his remnants won't last forever and if we take control before some other numpty with an agenda gets in, there could finally be some sort of peace. That's all we really need after so much death… death that I partially brought here, to all of them.
"I wouldn't like it, but it'd be for the better. For you, for me, for everyone here and for the people too stupid to understand what they need, the ones that only listen to the Prophet especially," Harry responded whilst nodding and jutting out the bottom half of his jaw in thought. He especially meant those words regarding the people who acted like sheep, as so often they would turn against him, Dumbledore or those who fought for them with words and actions back in his time.
Anybody who blindly trusted what the Prophet had to say was an enemy in his eyes, there was no changing that and no fixing it, not unless the Prophet was forced to report the truth with only some minor creative details added in. Maybe he would set about forcing that if he took control, it would certainly lead towards making the wizarding society locally far better than it currently was. Now that he thought about it, there were other things that needed doing do, such as ensuring everybody was given an education at Hogwarts or a school just as good instead of those who chose to stay in the countryside in small communities and hamlets.
"You're finally thinking about what it could mean, aren't you?" Elaine asked with a grin about her, one that was alight with promise and eagerness.
Harry could choose to play dumb, he would have in the past, but it wasn't needed. Elaine would see through his words and in all actuality, he recognised that his goals were just like how she thought of hers; for the better of society. Whether or not that was true, they would both eventually come to see, but he didn't care so long as everything worked out well and that couldn't happen until the few hundred or so criminals were dealt with.
"What would you do differently to get rid of Grindelwald's remaining followers? You didn't think the raid was a good idea, but what could we do differently?" Harry asked as he tucked himself under the covers and rolled to face her as she finished changing into a nightgown, one that was more alluring and daring than the usual ones she would wear.
She's bolder when she's drunk, but I can never tell when she's actually feeling shy in the first place.
"I would do much differently from you, my love. Merciless actions, curses and wards our country hasn't seen in centuries, but all would be so wicked that even Grindelwald would have held reservations in using them," Elaine slid in beside him, one of her legs intertwining with his as she all but laid down on top of him. "Do you want the intimate details of how I'd kill all of them? Could you handle it?"
Harry answered without hesitation after a singular grimace.
"Yes."
Elaine's eyes grew lidded as she fully rested on him. "You've grown since first we met, far darker. Your appeal, our bond, the attraction and pull I feel towards you is at an all-time high and yet, due to our living together, it doesn't feel half as forceful as it once did," she leaned in and licked his neck, the action making him furrow his brows and her… wiggle with some form of weird pleasure; her eyes, when she finished savouring the taste of his freshly showered neck, were darker than usual. "I will run for Minister this election. We'll allow much to happen between then and now, you'll aid me in doing so. All of it is," she looked towards the clock, smiled as beautifully as ever and placed a kiss on the tip of his nose as an apparation sounded. "Necessary."
"Hilly would like to tell the Mistress that has happened as she predicted," the newest house-elf said, his ears drooping.
"I told him," Elaine said, her eyes locked in a stare with Harry's as she burrowed into his shirt and responded without looking at the elf. "Sleep."
He did.