Chapter One To Be Or Not To Be Part 2.
Richard Bell and Andrew Johnson headed down to the ministry apparition station together. Despite the fact that there were fewer people working at the Ministry there seemed to be quite a few apparating out and in. It was in the thoughts of both men, that something needed to be done to bring in more people to make the Ministry run smoother, yet with the questions they had to deal with regarding Harry Potter, other matters had been pushed back to wait until the dilemma of Harry Potter was seen to it's hoped for outcome. Before they stepped into the busy terminal they turned to face each other.
"What do you think of Ms. Wilberforce being one of us?" Mr. Johnson queried.
"It makes me wonder how many others like her and Madam Marchbanks are out there." said a smiling Richard Bell. "It's just like Alexander to have some secrets from the rest of us. It also may explain how in certain times critical information just seemed to come our way."
"Well our hopes and plans seem to be coalescing like a properly brewed potion," said Mr. Johnson. The two men exchanged a tentative smile, then turned as one to gaze at the apparition station.
"We can only pray that the 'Eternal Powers', as Alexander was so fond of calling them, have a vested interest in pushing Harry and Ginny in a direction that we would hope that they will take." Mr. Bell stated in a hopeful but guarded speech. "The Muggles have a saying-'Don't count your chickens before they hatch."
"Are you beginning to doubt, Richard?" Mr. Johnson inquired. "Everything that happened has the quality of some mystical hand intervening to push events along, wouldn't you say?You are usually the bastion of assurance and confidence that helps the rest of us carry on when the seeds of doubt make us want to falter. Is there a chink in that sturdy armor?" entreated Mr. Johnson, looking sideways at his friend, with eyebrows slightly raised.
"There have been quite a few chinks in my armor over the years, I've just become somewhat more adept at camouflaging them then most. 'Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished', as the Bard might say. I...I think that I just want this so very badly, that it's wearing on me. I've devoted my life, since Alexander died, to trying to see his...well, all of our dreams for a new benevolent and more productive society come to fruition." speculated Mr. Bell. "Seeing all of the damage here reminds me of the task in front of us."
"We believed Alexander, when he said that Harry would see this through and win out. We just have to put our faith in Harry now... and the "Eternal Powers of course." declared Mr. Johnson.
"We've lived on that faith for a long time, even when it also seemed to have a few chinks in it's armor." Richard Bell bowed his head and closed his eyes for a moment, as if in prayer. Then he spoke, softly at first, then with growing tenor and conviction. "WE have to pull ourselves up straight and keep on going. WE have to be ready for Harry. Whatever his choices are he will need our help when he makes them." he said, as he lifted his head and opened his eyes. He squared his shoulders and stood with a more confident air. "Our world will need our help as it never has before. WE let Tom Riddle play his game of being the Dark Lord long enough to nearly destroy it. The world we rebuild from the ashes of the old must be a better one, this time. We cannot afford to go back to the old ways, the old prejudices, the old mistakes."
"That's quite a statement coming from a Pureblood Lord and a politician like yourself. What would the Malfoys and the rest of the old bloodlines say to that? I imagine that they will try to go back to doing business as usual." Pondered Mr. Johnson.
Richard Bell gazed around casually at the damage that the Ministry had sustained during the fight to retake the building from the Death Eaters and their followers.
"This building all to readily symbolizes our failure to lead our people and protect them from the schemes of that power hungry monster Tom Riddle. We let the arrogance of some Purebloods sway us with their notions that they were working in everyone's best interest."
"We're also Purebloods like those others." Said Mr. Johnson with a wry smile.
"Unlike those others, our families taught us the value of life, irregardless of the form it took, and honor, and instilled in us the need to accept responsibility. We are the last guardians of the land and the people, Wizard or Muggle. If we can convince Harry Potter to understand his role in helping our world rebuild, and become the new Warden of the land, and accept the role that his family has always played in leading us, then there will still be a world for our children to inherit."
Andrew Johnson chuckled quietly. "Ever the politician, eh, Richard? I'm not the person you need to convince. You should save your speech for Harry Potter."
"Sorry, Andrew. I do tend to get carried away sometimes. The hazard of being the person who had the responsibility to keep the attentions of the Wizengamut redirected to the mundane and the ridiculous while we played slight of hand with the events and people in our world. I sometimes think that I should have invested in a Muggle clown suit and learned to juggle." said Richard Bell, cracking a slight smile and quietly shaking his head.
"Too many of the older members of our august legislative body would probably not notice. They're always too wrapped up in their own problems and agendas. The others would be too confused or overly concerned by your lack of conformity to the well to do Pureblood dress etiquette to function." Andrew Johnson observed whimsically.
"The Wizengamut and the Ministry haven't functioned properly since Alexander and the other older gentlemen from his age, who were his colleagues, were alive. They spent over thirty years trying to rebuild our world after Grindelwald nearly succeeded in destroying it. Then they were cut down like the harvest wheat in the fall and all of their efforts went for naught." Richard Bell mused sadly and turned his head to stare out again at the devastation that the battle at the Ministry caused.
"I've been wondering about that. I..." Andrew Johnson hesitated a moment, drew in a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh.
Richard Bell turned back to his friend. "Please continue, Andrew. What were you wondering?"
"I wonder if perhaps maybe those Eternal Powers knew that the efforts of Alexander and his friends would not ultimately change anything. I wonder how much those Powers showed to Alexander, as well." Andrew Johnson submitted quietly.
"What are you getting at. Andrew?" queried Richard Bell.
"Grindelwald's atrocious war was a malaise that nearly destroyed all of Europe, not just Britain. But because all of our attention was fixated on destroying Grindelwald, we did not see the danger that was festering in the shadows from Tom Riddle until it was too late. Even our friend and mentor Alexander didn't recognize the evil until his power was on the rise and seemingly unstoppable." asserted Andrew Johnson. He hesitated a moment, then continued. "I wonder if Alexander did see something like what I'm seeing now."
Richard Bell gazed deeply into his friends eyes. "What are you seeing now, then?"
"We both know that the Potter family has a gift, a talisman of some sort that gives them the means to see patterns in the life around them, helps them understand and in some cases see a glimpse of the future. I wonder If Alexander came to the understanding that it wasn't the right time to rebuild yet. The poisons that were a part of our world when Grindelwald was the reigning Dark Lord were still endemic to our world as Tom Riddle rose to become Lord Voldemort. I just think that maybe the Eternal Powers saw that we did not right the wrongs in the British Wizarding World after the war with Grindelwald and, sad to say, used Tom Riddle as a sword of retribution, as it were, to help adjust, and in some cases sweep away the old ways." Andrew Johnson said, keeping his gaze fixed on his friend.
"There could very well be a truth of sorts in what you say, Andrew," began Richard Bell. "Our friend Alexander was a sick man towards the end. He was sick of body and of mind. He was also not a man to seek out healers with any regularity. His wife Persephone was concerned because he was having nightmares like he'd had when he was younger. In the talks we had together before he died, Alexander said his dreams showed him horrible images, and he wasn't sure what were memories from the past, what were just plain nightmares, or what were visions of the future." he turned from his friend and closed his eyes, trying to breath calmly.
"Richard...I..." Andrew Johnson was at a loss as to how to comfort his friend.
"Alexander said that Tom Riddle would bring a terrible storm of evil upon us that would make even angels weep at it's fury. The only light in the darkness would be a small boy. Only the orphan of the storm, who, coming from the shadows as well, could defeat the gathering darkness and renew the powers of the land and the people. Until that could come to pass, it would be the duty of the Olde Guard to salvage what it could and believe in that boy." Richard Bell slowly opened his eyes and turned back to his friend.
"Harry, the Orphan of the storm. That is certainly apropos," declared Andrew Johnson, reverently.
"Yes, It is." said Richard Bell in a sad but resigned voice. "It's unfortunate that he mostly remained an orphan the greater part of his life, adrift in a stormy sea."
"You mean because of those Muggle relatives. What about the Weasleys? He spent some time with them." asked Andrew Johnson.
"Not nearly as much as he should have." stated Richard Bell, candidly. "Albus Dumbledore should have taken Harry to live with the Weasleys from the beginning. The Weasleys and the Potters were relatives from way back. There are quite a few instances, long ago, where a Potter and a Weasley married down through the centuries. They are two of the few Pureblood families that marry because of love, though. If Harry belonged in any family, it was the Weasleys, where love of the family is more important than the bloodline. Then he would have met Ginny earlier and who knows how much better our situation might be?"
"It has to be said though, that all of the trials that he faced did temper him to be able to confront and overcome Voldemort, don't you think?" inquired Andrew Johnson.
"I think he should have been told by Albus Dumbledore when he started his education at Hogwarts, what was coming." Richard Bell shook his head and had a disconcerted look on his face. "Harry and his friends should have been trained and made aware of what would be coming. Tom Riddle was going to return, one way or another. Alexander was sure of it. It would have been better to be prepared to deal with the monster and his minions. That has always been the way of the Old Guard. We have always been involved in seeking knowledge and trying to stop or mitigate situations before they can become problems."
"How unfortunate that Albus Dumbledore and his Order of the Phoenix just waited for events to happen and then rushed in with the foolish hope that they could save the day." Andrew Johnson moved to stand beside his friend and contemplate the damages done to the vast chamber of the Atrium and to their world."You know I sometimes had the feeling that Alexander and Albus Dumbledore were not as close as they should have been, if you consider how much effort they put into trying to guide and protect our world."
"They were friendly to each other. They were even distant cousins, but they had secrets that neither told the other" said Richard Bell. "I think that Albus Dumbledore thought that Alexander should have taken a more active public role in leading our world." He shook his head and his face had a defeated smile on it for a second that slowly faded. "The Potter family has always had a hand in leading our world, but they have never done it in an arrogant, forceful manner, rather with sound counsel and keen insight into what might be achieved. It isn't a simple thing to do really."
"I can well imagine," said Andrew Johnson, thoughtfully. "and we have been without that counsel and insight for quite some time now. It's a wonder that we did not see our world fall to the Dark Lord sooner."
"A wonder, yes." muttered Richard Bell. "A wonder named Harry James Potter. And we men and women of good conscience did not try our best to help him, or to stop Tom Riddle."
"Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprise of great pith and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action." Andrew Johnson recited clearly. "Alexander didn't exactly give us any real choice in the matter. He left a great burden on Harry's shoulders. We, in our own sad trepidations, put too much effort into our hopes and aspirations and not enough of that same effort into finding ways to help Harry and our world."
"I find it interesting that once the conscious interaction that Harry was involved in with Albus Dumbledore was removed, Harry's own conscience made him a man of action." Richard Bell said coldly. "He readily pursued the answer to the problem of Tom Riddle, despite any consequences those actions entailed."
"Yes." replied Andrew Johnson. "But, now those very consequences are keeping him from any course of action."
"As we discussed earlier, I think that we will find that Arthur Weasley and his daughter will very shortly push Harry to the proper course of action and the new drama we are trying to orchestrate will begin to play itself out." Richard Bell speculated, with a hopeful tone returning to his voice.
"I'll accept your words and continue to believe in possibilities." Andrew Johnson steadied himself and turned towards the apparition point. "I need to be going. I have a bit of a journey ahead of me. I believe that it's time to bring our lost lambs back into the fold. Now that that special little project of yours is set in motion, it seems like a good time to give our charges their lives back."
"Yes. I should go see how my two partners in crime, so to speak, are coming along with our, or should I say Alexander's, other little project." said Richard Bell, his brows furrowed in thought. "You know it's strange that most of the schemes we have involved ourselves in were thought up by Alexander, and as agents of the Old Guard we swore oaths to him that we would make sure that they would play themselves out as if he were still here."
"Harry Potter is still a part of the British Wizarding world and as long as he is here some part of Alexander survives as well." said Andrew Johnson, almost reverently.
"There in then lies our hope. If Harry can carry the best of our world forward into the future, while we try to confine the worst elements to the past, we have a chance to create a happier life. For all."
Suddenly a young man, an expression of serious contemplation on his face, walked by them, without seeming to notice them. Both men turned to look at each other and smiled, then looked back at the young man.
"Percy Weasley!" hailed Richard Bell. The young man stop and turned at hearing his name and finally focused on the person speaking to him. He gave an exasperated smile and walked back to the two gentlemen.
"Good-day to you Mr. Bell," he said in a friendly manner, then nodded to Mr. Johnson. "Mr. Johnson."
"You're far too serious for someone of your age, young man." avowed Richard Bell.
"Yes, my boy." affirmed Andrew Johnson. "You're very much like your father. You need to try to relax a bit more. You are taking life too seriously. You..."
"There are very serious problems in our world." Percy said and looked down and away. "And I, for all my earlier reckless zeal, probably helped to cause some of them. I...I even hurt my own family." He shook his head sadly. "Then, of course, who knows what my perfidy has done to Harry Potter. I believed all the lies spewed against him by those in power. I should have known better. I always thought that I was an intelligent rational human being, but I...I lost the clear focus I thought I had. I wanted to be better than where I came from, and help our world become a better place." He stopped for a moment to catch his breath, then without any interruption, continued. "Our world has descended into a hellish reality thanks in part to me, and now it is my responsibility and my duty to help that world clime upward and forward and be a better place to live in. I..." Percy stopped then and looked up and focused on the two gentlemen with him. "Sorry I've..."
"Found you're true calling at last, eh?" inquired Andrew Johnson, moving forward to place a hand on Percy's shoulder. "Relax Percy, my lad."
"Yes." confirmed Richard Bell. "You and you're father both stress yourselves too easily about the problems we face, son."
"But... It's such a mess, isn't it, and..." Percy said, in a weary voice.
"My boy, it's always been a mess, in one way or another. It's likely to be a mess for awhile yet." noted Andrew Johnson.
"You've seen the problems in yourself and are making changes to correct them. You and your father also have had the chance to see all the problems that are overwhelming our world. You are making an effort to help change them as well." assured Richard Bell. "It's an effort you can be proud of, my boy"
"Do you really think so?" Percy wondered. "I was shocked that they would even let me back into the ministry."
"Your father is a friend of the minister, for one." asserted Andrew Johnson. "And despite anything else you may think about yourself, I've seen your work, my boy. You were right to think that you have an intelligent mind. And we can readily utilize that intelligence and ability you display working with us now to rebuild our world."
"Exactly!" affimed Richard Johnson. "You have the rational mind and the passion we need to get the job done. You just need to let your common sense and intuition come forward a little more."
"Funny you should say that." Percy said softly. "Audrey is always saying that to me."
"Oh, and who might this Audrey be, then." inquired Richard Bell.
"She works with father and myself in our office." Percy said, with a half smile. "Her Name is Audrey Cunningham. From what she tells me her family are old Purebloods from up around the city of Glasgow. Ms Wilberforce sent her to help us..."
"Drusuilla Wilberforce sent this Audrey to help you, you say...hmm," said Richard Bell as he let his thoughts wonder a moment. Could this Audrey be working with Drusilla? He smiled inwardly. If Drusilla Wilberforce was involved in helping Arthur and Percy through this young woman, it would almost be like having Alexander reaching out from the grave to help guide them forward, at least until they could find a way to ask Harry to help.
"She is rather a forceful young woman, seems to be very intuitive. She always seems to know what needs to be done and how we can go about doing it." Percy went on, clearly quite taken by the young woman that he worked with.
"She sounds like a very interesting and stimulating co-worker." added Andrew Johnson.
" She is. Reminds me somewhat of my mum. Originally she was set the task of dealing with all of the odd mail that came in for Harry Potter, which she still does. Yet she somehow manages to do that and help father and myself as well. She's a bit bossy at times, but she is a real wonder."
"So she seems." added Andrew Johnson. "She appears to be just the kind of person we need at the ministry."
"I very readily agree with you about Audrey." Percy acknowledged, with a sigh. "Audrey would agree with you about me. She's the reason I'm heading out now. She said that I was working too hard and chased me out of the office. Said I needed to relax and have a nice filling lunch.
I'm meant to forget all about my problems for the moment. Then when I return we will be finishing a special report that Minister Shacklebolt ask me to prepare for my father."
Richard Bell cocked an eyebrow."Indeed, something of great import no doubt. And your father how is he?"
"He seems to in a better mood, having had the weekend to rest. He went back to his old office -Misuse of Muggle Artifacts, to try to help them sort out a few things." Percy raised his left arm, which had a watch on it, looked at the time and then back up at the two gentlemen. "I really must be going, gentlemen. I am rather famished and Audrey will be expecting me back soon."
"Quite right there my boy. It was good to talk to you." declared Richard Bell.
"Yes, give our regards to your father when you see him." said Andrew Johnson and Percy gave a quick wave and a "Good-day" and headed to the apparition point.
Percy Weasley no sooner departed through the apparition point than his brother Bill appeared.
"Well, well, another Weasley arrives just as one is leaving. Isn't that curious?" asked a smiling Richard Bell.
"What're you on about then, sir?" Bill, with a cautious voice.
"Percy just apparated out and you come in right in on his heels." said Andrew Johnson.
"The bank of Gringotts sent me over here today to meet with The Minister and finalize the last details regarding the vault the Wizengamot wishes to set up for Harry Potter." said William Weasley, in a matter of fact manner, though clearly tempered by some distrust .
"Do you find some fault with the idea, Mr. Weasley?" queried Andrew Johnson.
"I simply think that Harry has been through enough trials in his life and now you throw this at him, for whatever nefarious reason the ministry might have in mind to abuse Harry further. He needs to heal and try to get on with his life." Bill added, with a scornful vent, gazing first at Andrew Johnson, then focusing on Richard Bell.
"It isn't meant to abuse Harry. Quite the contrary. It's meant as a gesture of respect toward Harry. It allows him a means to have some say in how our world is to be rebuilt. You are familiar with the old saying 'To the victor, go the spoils' are you not Mr. Weasley?" prodded Richard Bell, curtly.
"I'm aware of it, gentlemen. I'm also, as an employee of Gringotts, and a friend of Harry's, aware of the fact that there are several vaults at Gringotts already, including the main family vault of the Potters, just waiting for him to take possession of them. I don't think , however, that you will find Harry capable of helping our world at this time. He's having a difficult enough time dealing with his own problems. He doesn't need this kind of onus dumped in his lap."
"You seem to be quite protective of our hero, Harry." commented Andrew Johnson, with a slight grin.
"Harry is a part of my family now. He's like a brother, and he and my sister don't need you gentlemen interfering in their lives. Their lives are complicated enough." Bill Weasley forcefully added.
"I can assure you..." began Richard Bell, only to be interrupted by Bill Weasley.
"You'll excuse me gentlemen, if I cut this discussion short, but I don't wish to be late for my meeting with the Minister. Good-day." Bill gave a quick nod and sped off.
"Do you get the impression that Bill Weasley has had some contact with our Harry Potter?" inquired Andrew Johnson, as they both watched while Bill Weasley sauntered past them.
"More interesting I think, is Bill mentioning Harry and his sister in the same breath." noted Richard Bell.
"So you think that we might infer that Harry and Ginny are together?" asked Andrew Johnson."That is one of the goals we would like to achieve, isn't it?"
"I think that all we can say at this juncture is that they are physically in the same place." Richard Bell stated candidly. "Harry must be at the Burrow. Hmmm...I wonder."
"They're still not a couple yet, though. Is that what you're saying?" inquired Andrew Johnson, attempting to draw his friend out.
Richard Bell released a heavy sigh, then chuckled sadly and shook his head. "They are both two damaged souls. They were both nearly killed by Tom Riddle in his alter ego of Lord Voldemort. They are both very passionate and obstinate people; and I imagine they're having difficulty sorting through the pains they have suffered this last year. Harry, from what I gather, pushed Ginny away in the hope that she would be safe."
"She wasn't safe, though, from what I've heard from the school."added Andrew Johnson. "None of us were. Then Harry and his friends went out to find a way to kill Tom Riddle and nearly died themselves."
"Yes." said Richard Bell quietly. "The four of them survived, but too many others didn't. It is likely that this fact weighs heavily on Harry's conscience. Losing my Laurene, one person that I cared deeply for, nearly destroyed me. The Potter need to help others and feeling like a failure at it, is likely hampering his ability to cope. It is probably worse since he feels that he failed the one person he cares about more than any other."
"Ginny Weasley." submitted Andrew Johnson. His friend nodded.
"They probably need someone to intervene, to bring them together again, get them talking." mused Richard Bell. "They..."
"Dad!" cried a voice, interrupting him. Both men turned in the direction of the outcry and saw
a young woman and a man approaching.
Suddenly the young woman was in front of Richard Bell putting her arms around him and reaching up to kiss him on the cheek. He smiled as she settled down.
"Katie! It's good to see you. We don't get together as much as I would like. What brings you to the Ministry?" asked a nonplussed Richard Bell.
"Do I really need an excuse to see my father?" she asked.
"She's here with me Mr. Bell." said a man slightly smaller than Richard Bell, with short red hair and quite a few pieces of dragon hide apparel. He knew the man immediately as Charley Weasley. Charlie had been his daughters companion for the better part of a year.
Andrew Johnson had remained quiet at first to let his friend greet his daughter, then he moved closer. "Good morning Katie." he said giving a slight bow.
"Hello, Mr. Johnson." said Katie to her father's friend. Andrew Johnson turned to focus on the young man. ""You would be one of Arthur Weasley's sons, if I'm not mistaken."
"I am Charley Weasley, at your service, sir." Charley held out his hand and Andrew Johnson reached out and shook it firmly then released it, where upon Charley turned slightly and offered the hand to Richard Bell. "Good morning to you Mr. Bell."
Richard Bell hesitated a moment, then let his arms fall away from his daughter as his eyes found and held Charley Weasleys. There was a cock sure attitude to the young man, but not the arrogance found in most Pure bloods. The ego in this man was from someone who gained it by the experience of working with dragons. There were traces of scars on his face, and as the man looked down at the hand offered him more than a few scars and callouses evident there. Charley Weasley was a man who knew who he was. At the moment, though Charley Weasley was more than his friend Arthur's son. The hand that was offered to him was the hand of the man closest to his daughter Katie. The hand of the man who had helped her through her trials, and from what Richard Bell knew, was also likely the hand of his daughter's lover and a possible son in law in the future. He reminded himself that his daughter was past the age of consent and as willful as her mother. If she chose to be with Cahrley Weasley, he thought, as he smiled to himself, he, as her father couldn't think of a better match for his daughter. He raised his right hand and clasped the hand offered to him. Then they tenuously tested each other, then smiled and released. "Good to see you both again, Charley."
"So then, what really brings the two of you to the Ministry?" inquired Andrew Johnson.
Katie moved to stand with Charley, who put his arm around her. "We are here because I was approached to become the head warden at the small dragon preserve in northern Wales. They lost their most recent warden in the war." Charley began calmly. "I decided to accept their offer. I've missed my family and I'd like to be close to them. This gives me the chance to still work with dragons and be by my family, as well as others who are important to me." Katie laid her head on Charley's chest and put her arms around his middle.
Charley smiled down at her, then looked up and kept the smile in place as he caught and held Richard Bell's gaze, who smiled back.
"I'm sure your family and friends will be happy to have you take up residence closer to home." agreed Richard Bell.
"For the moment we need to pull together as a family." said Charley. "I haven't given anyone as yet a hint that I might take the position, so I'll have a nice surprise for our next family dinner on Sunday."
"You promised me we would go out flying and we'd race back to our house once were done here, Charley Weasley!" admonished Katie Bell looking up into his face.
"And to think of all the trouble I had getting you back on a broom after all the shite from this last year." Charley moaned. "Now, It's all I can do to keep up with you." He looked back to Richard Bell. "I'll have no peace until she has her way. I find it keeps us both happy to mostly let her have her way, so we'll be needing to be off."
"Good-bye dad." said Katie then turned and nodded to Andrew Johnson. "Mr. Johnson." He smiled and nodded back.
"Good-day to both of you." replied Katie's father.
Charley Weasley nodded and added, "Gentlmen." Then they turned and were shortly gone through the apparition point.
"They're almost like an old married couple already." noted Andrew Johnson. "Has Katie mentioned anything about making that an official arrangement?"
"Not as yet." answered Richard Bell quietly. "Katie is happy and I'm not going to push. I would be more than happy to have her marry Charley and join the Bells and the Weasleys together.
It has to be their decision, though."
Before any more could be said two more easily recognized people appeared at the apparition station, as George Weasley and Andrew's niece stepped forward. Angelina clasped George's hand and, noticed the two men and walked over to greet them.
"Good morning uncle Andrew." Angelina moved up to her uncle and put her free hand on his shoulder and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Then she turned to his friend. "Good morning to you too, Mr. Bell."
The two gentlemen nodded but were otherwise quiet at first watching the pair. There was a somberness to them that could easily be understood, as they were both grieving the loss of George's brother Fred. They held onto each for strength. Angelina's uncle came forward and put a hand on George's shoulder.
"Mr. Weasley. May I be forward and call you George?" asked Andrew Johnson. "Please know that those of us with you here understand what it is to lose someone. Angelina's father was my brother and he and her mother were both killed by Death Eaters."
"I lost my wife, Laurene, Katie's mother, the same way." said Richard Bell.
"I..." George began and then hesitated. He bowed his head a moment in thought. He had wondered if it had been a bad idea to let Angie and Ron talk him into going to the Ministry. Yet hearing Angie's uncle speak of her parents made him feel closer to her even though she had never spoken of it to him or Fred. He looked back up and caught Angie's eyes.
"I'm sorry, George, I should have said something to you before. It happened so long ago when I was a child. I never really had the chance to know them, not like I know you and Fred." she hesitated a moment, worried that she might have hurt George by speaking of Fred as if he were alive. "George, I..." She felt his hand clench around hers slightly then ease up, but he didn't let go of her hand.
"We're good, Ange." George said, in a half tremulous voice. "You're kind of like Harry, I expect."
"What you on about then?"said asked slowly, tears almost coming to her eyes.
"I talked to Ginny several times about Harry when he was gone. She said that Harry didn't get enough time with his parents as a child to remember them. Later when he was told about them, he regretted losing them and longed for them, but they weren't the loving presence in his life he would have wanted. He wanted what could have been, not what had been."
"Yeah, I guess that's me. I wish they could have been here. I..." A single tear slid down her left cheek.
"I think I understand Harry a little better now." George submitted quietly. "Seems like most of the people he got close to, or cared about were taken away from him by that wanker Voldemort. I don't know how he keeps going on. I...I really don't."
"You know how he'll keep going on." Angie responded. "You told me he has one person who hasn't given up on him, who cares enough to reach out to him. You have a whole family who cares about you, and you have me. I'll be there for you. I cared about Fred too, so I hope you'll be there to help me get through this as well."
George nodded slowly and gave her half a smile. "We'll get through this together, eh?"
Angie returned his smile and wiped the tears from her cheek. "Yes."
"Speaking of being together, Why are the two of you here today?" inquired Angie's uncle, a concerned edge to his voice.
"Well, we...that is to say, Fred and I brought some magical inventions up here awhile back to get them patented. It's been some time now and with everything that's been happening, well, there was never the chance to follow through." George hesitated a moment, then looked into Angie's eyes. She nodded.
"My brother Ron and Angie have been pestering me..." George stopped as Angie's brow furrowed and just the trace of a smile captured his face. "They have been after me to get on with my life. So I, that is to say we, have come to see about finalizing the patents."
"Let's not forget about Zonko's, George!" Angie added in an a forceful manner.
"What about Zonko's, if I may ask?" queried Richard Bell.
George looked over to Mr. Bell. "My brother and I were thinking of buying the store that Zonko had in Hogsmeade, since he more or less went out of business, as well as the rights to all of his business and products. Ron says that one of the things our world needs is to be able to laugh."
"I remember a quote from the Muggle world," said Angie. "Laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and you weep alone."
"We've certainly had enough of weeping alone." asserted Andrew Johnson.
"Agreed! Alone or together." said Angie. George turned his focus back to her. He knew he would never have been able to get through this time without Ron and Angie. Especially Angie, if he was truthful with himself.
"So, then," began Richard Bell, "from what I hear you are quite the businessman now. And in the future you will become the great entrepreneur as the owner of the preeminent magical joke shop in the Wizarding world, Weasley's Wizard Weezes."
"Well,I..." George said hesitatingly.
"Yes!" Angie declared adamantly, with a half smile. "It's what Fred would have wanted. I think it's just what our world needs." She had moved closer to George till they were nose to nose and they had wet their lips with their tongues, almost in anticipation of a kiss, the need of which was on their minds.
"Well," said Andrew Johnson, interrupting the moment between George and Angie. "We should let you get back to your pursuit of of your goals." George and Angie sighed and turned to the two men.
"You're right. We'll probably have a busy day of it, so we'd best get to it." said George, holding Angie's hand firmly in his own. He nodded to Mr. Bell. "Mr. Bell." Then he turned to Mr. Johnson. "Mr. Johnson." Who nodded back.
"Good to see you, Mr. Bell." said Angie, then she turned to her uncle. "We don't see near enough of each other, uncle."
"You know, I was thinking just the same," responded Andrew Johnson. "You should bring your friend round to dinner some time. I'm sure it would be an enjoyable evening. Send us an owl so we can set up a date. I'm sure your aunt Margarite would enjoy meeting George."
"Thanks, uncle Andrew. I'll be in touch. Bye." said Angie, then she and George began walking on. The two gentlemen watched them for a moment,then turned back to the apparition station.
"They make an interesting couple." remarked Richard Bell. "I would never have thought of your niece and George or, for that matter, Fred Weasley."
"You don't know Angie." Adrew Johnson stated with a smile. "She's a very wild and impetuous young woman, and she has known the Weasley brothers from her first year at Hogwarts. The few letters that she sent us while she was at school always had some amusing anecdote about Fred and George."
"And now Angie and George seem to be a couple." observed Richard Bell. "So we'll both have young women joining the Weasley family then."
Andrew Johnson chuckled. "I would have put galleons on it, even though she did ,as they say, play the field at school. They played Quidditch together and at times seemed inseparable."
"They certainly seem inseparable now." commented Richard Bell.
"I have to wonder at all of these Weasley's showing up here at the Ministry." observed Andrew Johnson.
"I don't think it's a wonder. It's more like a natural progression of events." reflected Richard Bell, enigmatically.
Andrew Johnson turned to his friend to inquire further, but stopped as he noticed Richard Bell staring at the apparition station. He turned to see what his friend found so interesting. A bushy haired young woman had appeared suddenly at the station. She steadied herself quickly and moved aside to allow others incoming, room. Then she looked down at herself and tried to straighten the light gray suit jacket that she was wearing and gave a similar adjustment to the matching skirt that was only slightly ruffled. She brought the small valise she was carrying in her left hand forward and opened it. Reaching into it, she appeared to be looking at several documents quickly, then she delved deeper into her valise till she found something and brought her hand out in which a small beauty compact was held. She opened the compact and seemed to be looking at herself in a mirror. She fussed with her hair and face until she was satisfied then closed the case, returned it to the valise and close it, letting it easily move back to her left side. She looked up, straightened her shoulders and began to walk in the direction of two gentlemen who she noticed seemed to be appraising her.
"Is there some reason this young woman draws your attention, Richard?" he asked.
"She should merit your attention as well, Andrew." noted Richard Bell. "I'm sure you are at least familiar with the names of Harry Potter's closest friends."
"Closest friends." he remarked thoughtfully. "As far as I know Harry only has two close friends, Ron Weasley and..." hesitated for a moment as he eyed the young woman. "Would this be Hermione Granger, then?"
"Right in one." said Richard Bell. As the woman neared them he spoke her name aloud. "Hermione Granger!"
Hermione came to a stop, held her valise firmly in the grip of her left hand and slowly studied the two gentlemen before she spoke. "Are we acquainted sir? I don't seem to remember meeting you or your friend."
"I would not say we are acquainted, in a general sense." replied Richard Bell. "I am however familiar with your face and your name and the fact that you are a friend of Harry Potter."
Hermione stood in a relaxed stance, trying to assess what the two gentlemen wanted from her. "I think that you will find that there are quite a number of people who claim that they are Harry's friend. As I am not familiar with either you or your associate, I cannot judge properly if you fit in the category of being one of Harry's friends."
"Forgive me, miss Granger. I am Richard Bell and my friend is Andrew Johnson." said the taller of the two.
"We were just wondering if perhaps you'd seen young Harry?" inquired Andrew Johnson. "He's been gone quite awhile now and it makes us all worry as to his safety."
She hesitated a moment, eying the two gentlemen suspiciously, before she attempted to reply. "I saw him right after the end of the Battle at Hogwarts." Hermione said, with the hint of a smile and a very confident air. "As to where he might be now, I really couldn't say."
"Couldn't say?" asked an amused , but attentive Richard Bell. "Tell me miss Granger, you always seem to be very involved and very busily pursuing whatever tasks are given you here. Are you enjoying your temporary position at the Ministry?"
Hermione regarded him wearily, trying to discern if there was some hidden motive to his question. Before she answered. "I enjoy it every bit as much, if not more, than the years I spent at Hogwarts. Now that I'm of age, many other sources of information are at my disposal. I am someone who enjoys the challenge of researching the answers to the problems of our world. I'll be returning to Hogwarts this September to finish my last year of schooling. When I have graduated you will likely find me a fixture in the Ministry for quite some time."
"We can assure you," asserted Andrew Johnson. "that we are more than pleased to hear you
attest to that fact."
"I have heard your names mentioned of late and I know that you are both Purebloods." declared Hermione. "I am sure that you are aware that I am a Muggleborn." She stood proudly hwen she said it.
"Let me be the first to apologize for the lack of vision employed by many Purebloods, Miss Granger." said Richard Bell, as if testifying in a court. "There are many of us who are deemed to be Purebloods that believe in the diversity of the human species. It can easily be seen that the narrow minded Purebloods caused all of the difficulties that we face now. I believe that all of us who are magical must pull together now to reinvent a magical world in which all can live and prosper."
While keeping her face stoical, Hermione was somewhat gobsamacked that this attitude, these words would come from the mouth of a Pureblood. "I don't usually hear these kind of sentiments from the mouth of Purebloods, Mister Bell; with the exception of the Weasleys." she let the hint of a smile form at the corner of her mouth. "I will, of course be skeptical about the possibilities for positive change, if you don't mind. My generation has been lied to before; and quite a few of my generation laid down their lives to fight for the changes of which we speak."
A hint of sadness passed over his face and he responded in a sincere and understanding voice. "Many a generation has been lied to and have spent the lives of it's young to fight against the lies of the darkness."
"We are embarked on a brave new adventure now, Miss Granger." avowed Andrew Johnson. "Harry Potter removed the evil that was plaguing our world and in effect leveled the playing field. Everything is in chaos and there is no person or group of people who are in a position of power. The possibilities for positive change that you speak of are laying on the table before us, like potion ingredients waiting to be added to a cauldron to brew ...I don't know what. We need a potion that will help us all see our faults and understand the mistakes that we have made and help us to make the necessary changes for a better future."
"You need a large dose of Felix Felicious." Hermione intoned, then looked away from the two men, thoughtfully for a few seconds. She closed her eyes and an image of Harry came to mind, an image she remembered of him in Slughorns class when Harry had been using the princes book to brew up a perfect potion. A sad smile washed over her face and then was gone. Harry would be the right person to somehow brew up the potion that Wizarding Britain required to help it, but she didn't think there was a book to help Harry or their world in the brewing of the potion.
"We would also need a potion master to brew it up and make it work, Miss Granger." stated Richard Bell firmly, as if reading her thoughts.
Hermione looked back at the two men and caught Richard Bells eyes with her own. "You want Harry to be your foil, your instrument of change."
Richard Bell held her eyes with the force of his will. "Not many people are aware, including Harry, of the role that his family has played in guiding our world down through the centuries. I want to give Harry the chance to take up the gauntlet, so to speak, and become the Lord of the Ancient and Noble House of the Potters and continue to be the guiding force that we so desperately need."
"You want him to except being 'The Chosen One' again.'" Hermione said quickly, in anger, then held herself in check, closed her eyes and breathed in deeply and slowly exhaled to calm herself and find her inner focus. When she opened her eyes, she was resolved to deal with the two men.
"I, that is to say we, Miss Granger, want Harry Potter to choose," Richard Bell said resolutely, yet with an almost pleading tone. "as is his right, to accept his inheritance and choose to find a way to help us, all of us who are magical."
"Wizarding Britain needs" Hermione hesitated a moment to let the thought completely coalesce in her mind. "to be a...a coalition or confederation of all the magical people that live in it, be they Muggleborn, halfblood or Pureblood."
"Yes!" declared Andrew Johnson. "Emphatically so. And the situation that we find ourselves in at the moment is the first time in our history where change can be brought about. We will need to change to the perspective of all of the people and amend many of the ancient laws of our world to make this happen. And I'm afraid, like it or not, for that to happen, we need Harry to step forward and force the changes to occur."
"We have just fought a war, gentlemen," said a sighing Hermione. "The very thrust of this war was to depose an arrogant monster named Tom Riddle who would have done just what you are advocating."
"The difference," asserted Richard, "is that Tom Riddle cared for no one but himself, and our Harry cares for everyone but himself, and would therefore work to help our world rather than see it return to the abysmal state it has been in for several hundred years."
Hermione sighed again, shook her head slightly and gave a soft cough to clear her throat. "The problem with that is that Harry is very conflicted at the moment and is having trouble dealing with everything that has happened in the last year, especially the great Battle at Hogwarts. He can't change the past, but is disturbed by what he sees as his failure to meet and mitigate the effect of Tom's evil schemes to plunder our world and casually murder it's citizens. He needs..." she hesitated a moment, suddenly thinking of Harry and Ginny living together at the Burrow, yet not really together. "Harry needs to begin to think about his future and he needs someone who cares enough about him to help him reach for that future."
"From what I understand
"It's interesting how the Weasley's are all becoming very involved in the affairs of our world
Richard Bell held out his hand to his friend, who clasped it in his own, shook it firmly and released it. As his friend went to leave Richard Bell uttered two last words. "Evergreen, Andrew."
Andrew Johnson turned his head quickly and his face held a smile as he replied. "Evergreen, Richard." Then he headed over to the apparition point stepped on to it and with a crack he was gone.
Richard Bell immediately let his thoughts segue to the other meeting he would shortly be attending just before he too stepped forward and with a crack was gone.
Ever the considerate gentleman, he apparated to several sites in London before finally hailing a cabbie to take him close to his destination. Even with the war over it would be imprudent to not be careful in his travels, especially with regard to the two gentlemen he was rushing to meet and the nature of the special project that they all were participating in. After the cab arrived at it's destination Mr. Bell paid for his fare and waited for the taxi to move on. Then he stepped into a deserted alley and apparated again to a room atop the Tower Bridge that he knew would be vacant. He made a quick investigation of the room to be sure that he was the only occupant. Then he moved over to a window to look down onto St. Katherine's Pier below.
Tied to the pier was a medium sized white yacht that he readily recognized by her markings as the Magical Marauder . Many years before, in happier moments, he and his wife Laurene had spent enjoyable respites from the madness that was assailing their world aboard the very luxurious ship. Many a scheme or plan that had as yet to play itself out was hatched upon that lovely vessel. He had always wondered what had become of it. The recent owl message he had received asking for this meeting had really peaked his curiosity as to why he should come here and what he would find when he arrived at the Pier. Seeing the yacht was like seeing an old friend who had been away for a time.
He smiled as he thought about the two eccentric gentlemen he would soon be meeting. They were the sort of crafty and capable operatives that he imagined Alexander might employ. He liked to think of them as Alexander's 'Artful Dodgers', especially as one of them, Benny Shunpike, was a shrewd young cockney, who was a Muggleborn, yet knew the allies and rooftops of London like an aged ally cat. He was never quite sure what to make of the other man, Nick Carravaggio. Nick was an American and it boggled the mind trying to understand how Alexander had chosen him to help them. Richard Bell, none the less, had no qualms about Nick's involvement as Nick had saved his life twice in the last couple years. Nick was from a place called Brooklyn and had the rough and tumble veneer of the working class stamped on him. There was also something in the manner of the two gentlemen that suggested that they had been trained to fight Muggle style and he had heard them speaking of being in wars. They were however, the perfect sort to be members of the Old Guard.
They were the kind of men who thought quickly on their feet and acted swiftly when a situation arose that required immediate action. Richard Bell recalled the last incident where Nick ,and Benny as well had saved his life. They had come rushing into a situation, like raging bulls in the china shop, where Death Eaters would have killed him, and had turned the tables on his assailants and eliminated them in quick fashion. They tended to attack a situation like Muggle warriors for the most part, and in a crude and forceful way that Death Eaters were unused to. There was never any fear in their eyes, but more of a pervasive malice against their enemies. It almost made Richard Bell feel sorry for the Death Eaters, almost. He shook his head sadly. Once again the thought came to his mind, that if only there had been a way to make Harry aware of his birthright earlier and have ten more men and women like these, to fight for him, the war would have been considerably shorter and more lives would have been spared. That had not happened. The time was upon them now to help Harry reforge a new world from the old and these two agents provocateur were perfectly suited to the tasks at hand. He reached into the jacket under his robes and pulled out a small mirror. It was a very special tool that Alexander had come across in his travels. All too few of them still existed as Alexander had only entrusted their use to his closest associates and his son James.
"Mirror on." he said,quietly. "Benny Shunpike. Are you there?" He inquired clearly into the mirror. A moment or two later a face appeared in the mirror.
"Oi, there! 'oo's callin' for Benny then?" asked a young man with sandy hair and tanned complexion and a wary look in his hazel eyes.
"Just a friend soliciting for your views on the perennial qualities of Evergreen trees." said Richard Bell.
"Right you are then. 'Oo sent you off t' be lookin' fer ol' Benny, then?" asked Benny Shunpike.
"Chap by the name of Nick C asked me to get in touch with you, with regard to a certain plan thought up by a man named Alexander." Richard Bell smiled at their cloak and dagger banter.
"That you Mr. B?" Benny ventured, as a broad smile lit up his face.
"To be sure, Benny. I received your owl and I'm close by. Just wanted to let you know that I am here for the meeting you requested." Mr. Bell said chuckling quietly.
"'alf a mo' Guv," declared Benny as he turned away. Mr. Bell heard him yell "Oi, Nick..." then couldn't discern the rest. Then Benny's face was back in the mirror. "Bring ya'self on board, Guv, We gotta few fings we needs to discuss wiv ya."
"I'll be there shortly, Benny." Mr. Bell announced.
"Right you are, Guv. Be on the lookout for ya then." Benny declared, with a wry smile.
"Mirror off." spoke Richard Bell at the mirror and put it back into his jacket pocket. Then he gave a thoughtful gaze down at the yacht and with a quick crack he was gone.
He reappeared suddenly on the open ended stern of the Magical Marauder. He quickly found himself bound and because of the listing of the ship, barely managed to keep himself standing. He also found himself confronted by two somewhat surly house elves. It struck him odd that there would be two house elves here, as well, two rather oddly dressed ones at that. The one on his right seemed to have a small pair if Muggle 'jean' pants and vest and the one on the left had a dress of the same material. Very peculiar, he thought. With his focus on his predicament and the elves he did not notice another person approaching them until he heard a voice with a touch of sarcasm in it.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Mr. B. You 'ave a ravver bad 'abit, you does, o' getting' yerself into sticky situations. 'ow 'ave you managed to stay alive so long, Guv?" came the drawling Cockney voice of Benny Shunpike, a big smile lighting his features, as he sauntered forward shaking his head. Before Richard Bell could answer, Benny looked down at the elves and continued speaking. "Alright you lot, you can let Mr. B. go now. 'e's a friend, an ally, as you might say."
The two house elves turned slightly to look at Benny then turned back to glower at Mr. Bell.
"Is You sure, Mr. Benny Sir?" asked the male elf.
"I is feeling he is an arrogant Pureblood and cunning like Slytherins." said the female elf.
"Well, 'e's a politician ent 'e then, you gotta 'spect that kinda fing from 'im. Still, 'e's wiv us. So, if you please, let th' poor bloke go, eh?" It could easily be seen that Benny was trying very hard not to lose himself to the moment and laugh himself silly.
"If you is saying so, Mr. Benny Sir." said the male elf looked to his companion and nodded and they both faced the bound man and reached out with their right hands and snapped their fingers and Richard Bell felt the entanglements encumbering him slowly fade away,
"Right, then. Job well done. Fank you for yer vigilance. If you please..." Benny nodded his head to the house elves. "Head off to any uvver duties. I'll look after Mr. B. now."
"As you is saying, Mr. Benny." said the male elf. Then they both bowed, turned and with a crack were gone.
Benny looked up and caught Richard Bell's eyes with his own. Benny chuckled. "Blimey Mr. B. You got a double whammy from those two. Wouldna taken more'n a feather to push you into th' drink and you'da been breakfast for th' fishies."
"It reminds me that I should still be on my guard... no matter where I go." said the thoughtful
gentleman, still trying to compose himself.
"Constant Vigilance! that's what ole Mad-Eye Moody woulda said, afore 'e died." a sad far off look came over Benny's face.
"You knew Mad Eye?" asked Mr. Bell, somewhat incredulous.
"A course we knew 'im. 'E were a cousin of some sorts to Mr. Alexander weren't 'e then. Blimey he were right speechless when we come to 'im 'n give 'im th' password." Benny smiled and had a thoughtful whimsical look come over him as the memory cam back to him, then he smiled.
"Mad-Eye Moody was one of the Old Guard? But..." a look of consternation came over Mr. Bell's face and he stood quietly for a moment, still trying to steady himself from the incident with the elves as well as take in the new information.
"Mr. Alexander seems to 'ave 'is Jack Jones way o' reachin' out fer 'elp. 'E taps this bloke n' that lydy on th' old spark n' smoulder n' asks nicely as you please t' 'elp. I dare say as most of 'em shook 'is 'and n' said 'aye sir'. "E weren't one t' gavver us all togever, though. Most of us don't 'ave an idea 'oo th' overs are. Mr. Alexander 'e weren't lyke th' Professor. We haint never 'ad meetings t' talk fings over. When we 'ad some intel, as Nick calls it, we just left a coded message 'ere n' about, n' some'ow th' intel got where it was meant to, n' got what you call collated n' dispersed. One bloke or lydy is th' 'ub n' th' rest of us are th' spokes of th' wheel, as ya might say." Benny took a moment to catch his breath, then moved closer to Mr. Bell and reached out to put a had on his shoulder, as this special associate of his seemed to be overly thoughtful about what Benny had told him.
"Easy on 'en, Guvenor. Don't overload yer circuits there. Mr. Alexander, 'e were a special gent, 'e were." Benny said in a more calmer tone, to reassure his friend. "I get a feelin' that you're a special gent as well."
"Alexander knew Alastor Moody." said Mr. Bell, still pondering the implications. "...and from the way you talk, he knew you rather well. Nick I knew about before, but you..." his head tilted down and he shook his head.
"Mr. Alexander, 'e had a fing fer 'elpin' people, didn't 'e then. 'elped me n' Stan when we lost our family. Made sure we went to "ogwarts 'e did. Musta told ole Nick 'bout me cause 'e were waitin' at the train station when I finished me schoolin'."
Mr. Bell looked up at Benny and saw the confident smile and cocky stance of youth looking back at him. "Nick was waiting to bring you along then. And you just went with him?"
"Mr. Alexander, 'e tol' me once I 'ad a part to play in the fight o' th' light against th' darkness. 'e said a bloke 'd come to see me some day. And if a certain word was mentioned, I should trust that bloke n' head off wiv 'im. So, right as I was about to board th' old train, me mate Nick comes along n' yells at me 'Yo, Shunpike!' Then 'e asks me if I know anything about evergreen firs. Gobsmacked me silly 'e did. Forgot all about th' bloomin' train, I did, n' turned to look at th' bloke what asked me about evergreens. I guess I had a silly look on me face cause ol' Nick, 'e said 'Youse look more like a Gavoon den a Weisenheimer from Ravenclaw.' It sobered me up fer a sec whilst I tried to fink what 'e meant. He 'ad a cheeky smile on the side of 'is face and 'e were leaning real comfortlike against a lamp pole "
"I rather wondered how two chaps like you and Nick, from obviously different worlds got together." said Mr. Bell, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Oh, I dunno 'bout that, Governor." said Benny, with a wistful smile on his face. "We haint all that different, Nick n' me. Me n' me brover Stan, we come from East London, ya see. We're Cockneys n' proud to be it. Generally don't see the upper classes like yerself mixing wiv us. Nick 'e's from Brooklyn, Hell's Kitchen as 'e tells it. Same kind of neighbor'ood as what me n' Stan come from, working class Muggles. We may sound a bit different, but we're the same, n' deep down we understands each ovver. He's me best mate, put 'is life on th' line fer me many a time and Its been me bloomin' pleasure to do th' same fer 'im on occasion. 'e's a bit rough round th' edges, but Mr. Alexander picked 'im special from what our Mr. Steadman tells me."
Mr. Bell let the hint of a smile crack the corner of his mouth. "You know Alistair Steadman then?"
"A course we does. A right proper gentleman 'e is. "E's 'elped us out quite a bit, 'e 'as. I 'spect 'e's a bit antsy 'bout when our lad 'arry'll be headin round Gringotts way."
"Yes, he's been looking after the Potter accounts for a long time waiting for Harry to come in to claim his inheritance." said
"It is to be wondered how many others we don't know about are still out there, following through on the tasks Alexander asked them to perform."
"I gets th' feeling that there haint that many of us left. Soldiers o' th' Old Guard, that's us, tend t' stay at th' job at 'and and if th' need arise lay down our lives fer what's right. Dedicated 's what we is." Benny straightened his stance and shoulders and it could be seen that he was proud to be the honorable soldier in his friend Alexander's Old Guard army.
"Yes. Dedicated to a cause which seems to have finally come to fruition. Tom Riddle is gone and we can try to make a better world now." said Mr. Bell with the glimmer of a smile.
"Right you are then Mr. B. that's why we asked you t' drop by today. Me mate Nick 'as a few details 'e wants t' go over with you. So pull yourself togevver, Governor and come on wiv me." Benny turned and began to walk towards the main cabin of the yacht. Richard Bell closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath to steady himself, then he proceeded to follow Benny. Benny opened the door to the main cabin when he reached it and held it open until Richard Bell could readily walked on through , then Benny closed the door behind him. Benny headed off to the front of the cabin,
"Make yerself at 'ome Mr. B, I'll just go get Nick.
He gave off a quiet hmmf and a chuckle then continued. "If you'da had a few more of the old soldiers lyke 'im, woulda had a better go of fings wiv 'at wanker Voldemort."
"Snoops. I calls 'em Snoops 'cause 'e's got dis big freakin' snoz like Snoopy. Know whatta mean? Ya know, like in Charlie Brown in da comics.
Richard Bell smiled broadly.
Lil' lydy lil' bloke
"You know Mr. B, the boff of us are 'avin' an 'ard time not wantin' to do 'em the dir'ee, if you tyke me meanin'. I've known rats on a wharf what got be'er sense n' sensibilities 'n 'at lot in 'ere." Benny nodded his head towards the door to the left.
"Can we be sure that they haven't been Imperioused or their mental capacities otherwise compromised?"
"Dats a load a hooey balooey. Whoopdee freakin' doo
"When the Dark Serpent from the northern fells is brought low, then the harbinger of the new dawn, heir of the Dragon's hold will usher in a time of peace and prosperity to the land and the people.
"My family and several others have been a part of the efforts, as it were, for several generations. It brought me closer to knowing Alexander than most.
What he told me once, toward the end of his life, is that there are others like him across the world. other wardens, as it were, who look after the land and the people. Not too surprising I should think, that there might be other men with talismans and powers who have taken oaths to guide and protect." He fell silent for a moment and his friend turned and was watching and listening, his curiosity peaked,
"That was one of the things that Alexander discovered in his travels. These other men made themselves known to him and in some way he was involved in helping them in some difficulty that troubled them. They could see in him the man he was destined to be and they tried to help him to heal and see where his true path would lead him." Richard Bell turned to his friend , waiting for any questions he might have.
"Ten years is a long time to heal and find yourself. Should he not have returned after say,,,oh, I don't know, maybe a year or two. What about his grandfather? Why would he leave his heir to just wander about aimlessly and not try to call him back to his home, to his loved ones?"
asked Andrew Johnson.
"Alexander's grandfather Carlton. was an old and powerful wizard, very much like Albus Dumbledore. There were several wizards who attempted to acquire power in the last century and Carlton was involved in the struggle to stop them. It is likely that when Carlton had the talisman he saw the evil storms that would ravage our world and knew Alexander would need to go away to heal. It is also likely that he asked his compatriots across the world to help Alexander. I wouldn't put it past Alexander to have set the stage for Harry to follow along as he did and help him come to terms with what he has gone through and what possibilities are now within his reach.
"I really could care less what that arrogant group of upstart Purebloods would care to do with our world." Mr. Bell said, with a sour look on his countenance. "Quite a number of those Purebloods are, relatively speaking, newcomers to this land and it's peoples and customs. My father's family, the Bells, arrived here with most of them when our ancestors followed William Plantagenet here from France. Luckily for me my mother's family comes from one of the ancient families of Wales, the Cunnicks. They have always tried to preserve and protect the land and the people of the land. The Olde Guard stems from the original people who lived here.I am thankful that my family, the Bells, were also people who believed in caring for the land and building strong ties to the people."
"That's interesting. My grandfather's mother came from another of the old Welsh families, the Caliburns." Mr. Johnson stood straighter and prouder. "I know you would not know it to look at me but..."
"Nonsense, my friend."" Mr. Bell interrupted quickly., turning his head to catch his friends eyes with his own. "I do not judge a man or a woman by the color of his skin or the clothing they wear, or even the inflection of their voice. I choose to appraise a man or woman by the beliefs they espouse and the actions they pursue because of those beliefs. You are my colleague and you are my friend."
How are our special guests coming along,
I know you told me in confidence that Harry Potter is, shall we say hiding at your home, the Burrow, and, before you jump on me about this, let me just say that I haven't told anyone specifically about Harry being there. I just said that I might be able to contact
Audrey Dearbhail Cunningham