So here we go! This is basically a big talkie chapter. I don't know what else to say, honestly, so enjoy.
"Well, I got Scorpius's father on our side and nobody got injured or killed, that's something," said Albus.
"That is something," Frank admitted, "but you could have been more, I don't know, sly about it or something."
"He was a hell of a lot more sly about it than he was with me," Amos pointed out.
"Side affect of melding, I guess," said Albus, shrugging. "How exactly am I supposed to be sly about telling someone I'm basically evil incarnate, anyways?" Frank looked at Albus a bit weirdly. "What?"
"You're turning into Tom, mate." Albus sighed and, resting his head on the back of his hair, gazed up at the ceiling without really seeing it. After a moment he sighed.
"At what point would you think I was crazy?" he said.
"Albus, you passed that point a long time ago," said Amos seriously. Albus rolled his eyes.
"No, seriously," said Albus. "When will you think I'm just hallucinating?" Frank stared at his friend.
"What's this all about?" he said.
"It- it's just that I think I might be going mad." Silence for a moment. "I thought I heard Tom." Frank's jaw dropped.
"When?" he said.
"While I was talking to Scorpius's father." Albus tipped back his chair so it was standing on only two legs, then banged it loudly back on all fours again.
"Albus," Frank said at last, "you- you said that Tom ceased to exist."
"I didn't just say it," said Albus, a bit annoyed. "I felt it." Frank and Amos exchanged wary glances.
"Well, as I said, you told us he died," said Frank, pressing onward, "and I don't see how-"
"I know," said Albus. "I was probably just imagining things. But I can still hope, right?"
"Al," Frank said, reaching out to rest his hand on his friend's shoulder. Albus shrugged it off.
"I guess I shouldn't, then," he said, a bit colder than was necessary.
"I'm not saying you shouldn't hope," said Frank carefully, "only that you shouldn't hope for the impossible."
"You would know a lot about hoping for the impossible, wouldn't you, Severus?" Albus snapped. "Some friend you were, lusting after the enemy like some blood traitor, always being so tight with that damned old man without even thinking about how much I needed and depended on you. You should have been honored, but instead you just-"
"Albus," Frank growled. Albus jumped, startled, then he groaned and placed his head in his hands.
"I did it again," he said quietly. "I thought once I melded this would be over."
"It's not your fault," said Amos. "Its only been a couple of days, you just have to get used to having all your memories."
"But I can't!"
"You will, Al, trust me. I did." Frank tentatively placed his hand on Albus's shoulder again, and this time Albus didn't pull away.
"It was easier for you," Albus muttered bitterly. "You were already good."
"Al, people change all the time-"
"You don't understand! For me there was no change! At one moment I was evil, then I was good. There was no turning, no growing. I was simply forced to grow up again under completely different circumstances, and now I'm paying the price for my goodness."
"Paying the price for your-" Frank stopped, shaking his head. "Albus, that's ridiculous."
"What other explanation is there?"
"I don't know!" Frank, too, was frustrated now. Amos sighed.
"Both of you, stop it," he said wearily. "Focus on the present problems. Merlin knows we have enough things to worry about without jumping at each other's throats." Albus muttered some very uncomplimentary things under his breath, but Amos chose to ignore him.
"Well, the first thing to do is see where we are, army wise," said Frank. "There's us three, of course."
"Scorpius's father and all the escaped Death Eaters add about seventy, I reckon," said Amos. "Seventy-three wizards does not an army make." Albus suddenly seemed rather thoughtful.
"It's a start, though," he said slowly. "And it shouldn't be hard to get more, if we look in the right places."
"What do you mean?" said Frank. "Rose has hot most of the wizarding world on her side."
"You're forgetting that wizards aren't the only sentient magical creatures in the world," said Albus. "There are giants, goblins, centaurs, mere people, house elves, and werewolves, too. Plus many more besides."
"You're suggesting that we ally with them?" said Amos, disgusted.
"Of course! If we can't get wizards on our side, we'll get other creatures. Most of them have reasons enough to hate wizards, especially since all the new regulations."
"What were those about, anyways?" said Frank. Albus rolled his eyes.
"They were mostly against the so-called 'Dark' creatures that had a majority following me during the last war. Giants and werewolves were the worst hit, but all other magical races felt the pressure as well. The regulation called for smaller and more tightly regulated preserves, mandatory consumption of the Wolfsbane Potion for werewolves, and the return of human guards at Gringotts."
"Why would the werewolves not want to take the Wolfsbane Potion?" said Amos.
"For one, the potion itself is hard to make and its ingredients are very expensive, so its impractical for most werewolves. Also, some werewolves feel that the potion itself is another attempt bey the Ministry to rein them in and control. They're willing to take precautions against biting people, but they want it to be on their own terms," said Albus.
"Well, that's stupid," said Amos. "The Ministry's only concern is public safety."
"That doesn't change the fact that some werewolves simply don't have the skill or resources to brew it in the first place," said Albus sadly, "and you have to admit that the Ministry does like control, over part-humans and non-humans especially. Maybe some do it out of concern or even genuine effort to help the werewolves, but most see it as a way to control the werewolves and keep up their precious facade of goodness."
"Facade is a pretty good way of describing it," said Amos ruefully. "Where's your dad standing in all of this dragon dung?"
"He supports it, of course," said Albus. "The almighty Harry Potter has to make sure he's always seen as a savior, even if we don't need one."
"Oh, I don't know," said Frank. "Weren't we just talking about Dark Ladies and armies? Shouldn't we try it get him and the Ministry on our side before its too late? We could use a savior right now."
"Do you think the non-humans would like us working with the Ministry, or vice versa?" Albus said. "Do you think the Ministry would even believe us? No, this will be a band of the dregs of society, make no mistake."
"Thanks a lot, Al," said Frank. "Guess I belong to these 'dregs of society' you mentioned, huh?"
"If you do, then you have my highest respect," said Albus, giving his Gryffindor friend a mock salute. "The very fact that you are considered by society to be beneath the pig-headed elite gives you immense status among the humble ranks of the Life Barfers."
"Life Barfers?" said Amos, snorting.
"Of course," said Albus. "What else would you call a group of mostly reformed Death Eaters and malcontents?"
"With all your talk, you'd think we're taking on the Ministry itself, not just Rose and her little friend," said Frank. Albus stared into space, obviously deep in thought.
"In a way, we are," he said at last, then he grinned at the look on Frank's face. "Look, we already know that the Ministry's going to take her side, right?" Frank nodded. "Then, by default, by taking on her, we're taking them on, too."
"But Rose is evil!" said Frank. "The Ministry's not evil-"
"Just broken," said Albus. When Frank opened his mouth to argue Albus gestured for him to be silent. "Don't say a thing, Frank. The Ministry's a bureaucracy, plain and simple. The vary way it was set up was faulty from the start, inviting in the inevitable corruption that comes with politicians. Its creators were idealists who expected good in an evil world. Its always been doomed."
"And what do you propose we do about it?" said Frank, annoyed. Albus smiled a bit wickedly.
"Nothing," he said. "Absolutely nothing." Both Frank's and Amos's mouths dropped open.
"What?" said Amos weakly. "Nothing?"
"Yes," said Albus. "We'll let the Ministry flounder and dissolve into chaos with this new threat. Then, when it has destroyed itself, we'll pick up the pieces and throw them away. We'll be able to create a new Ministry, a better one."
"But- but how?" said Amos, clearly overwhelmed. "We're just kids!"
"Two of us are reborn kids," said Albus, "and you- you're the future. Rose is going to destroy the Slytherins, a group as good and right as any, because of the image we have. It's only right that we destroy an image built up by those who want to appear as good as Slytherins are."
"It's almost ironic," said Frank. Albus rose an eyebrow at him. "Okay, not really," Frank admitted, "but it is interesting."
"Aye," said Albus, "but that's beside the point."
"And the point is?" said Amos. Albus took a deep breath.
"We have a challenging path before us," he said. "Former Death Eaters, magical creatures, and Slytherins-"
"Oh my!" quipped Frank. Albus glared at him.
"Needless to say, we have some people to convince," he said.
"This is the strangest army ever," said Amos. Albus nodded.
"Indeed," he said, then turned back to the task at hand. "We'll start with the centaurs. I'll talk with Professor Firenze as soon as I can."
And there you go! Sorry it was a bit late this week, its been kind of crazy. Reviews= free hugs!