James pondered over the latest intelligence gathered from the UK. In the last year, he had taken over the mantle of running the order. However, the internal coup had not left Dumbledore without power. The Old man still had the undying loyalty of the Weasleys, Doge and Mad Eye. The Order's sources in Britain were spread thin, with only a few deep cover agents remained willing to endanger themselves under the current regime. The high placed new whistle blower had revealed the most interesting information at the highest levels of the dark order. The report from Hogwarts concerning Draco Malfoy was horrific. The young Malfoy was now supplying detailed information about the Dark Lord's itinerary gleaned from his father's diary. His wish for revenge was understandable even if his motives were callous and cruel. The Malfoy heir had earned his punishment, the fact it was given in Academy style was most telling of Voldemort's displeasure with Lucius' son and heir. James Potter wondered on his own son who had stood silent and watched the brutal punishment, and who the next morning had looked like he had been given the same treatment at his master's hands but left unhealed. The reports on Voldemort's apprentice were based on conjecture and observations, but very few actual facts. Even their agent had only met the boy briefly.
The last six years had been hard for James Potter. Lily had left and had not come back even after the revelation that breaking her bonding oaths would leave her a squib. They were married in name only. James' son barely spoke to him and called he Order a bunch of hopeless dreamers lost in the past. Charlus and his friend Neville were young American's, free and independent, not caring for the fate of a country three thousand miles away that they had last seen as babies. They scoffed at the prophecy stating, that if Voldemort did not believe in it why should they. The fact that Hadrian was an emerging mage was the most disturbing news. Neville and Charlus were strong and talented warlocks. He was so proud of the fact Charlus could top both his parents on magical power and talent, but it paled in comparison to Hadrian who was another Dumbledore.
The files from England on Hadrian stolen from St. Mungo 's had shown his son had had his magic bound, but had been powerful enough to show accidental magic despite this. The abuse had caused the bindings on his magical core to break. The events in May 1989 had shown an immense eruption of raw power. If Hadrian had grown up loved and in a stable family environment he would never have shown any signs of magic. Hadrian had been viewed as a direct threat by Albus Dumbledore. At some point his son's Slytherin talents must have been observed by the Old Man and he had acted to remove the threat immediately, not waiting for Voldemort to act. Lily was the Dark Lord's cousin, making the bastard family by marriage. A fact that should have protected them if they had stayed in Britain.
James wondered if the Prophecy was a false one, but divination was not his strong point. There were also questions left over the death of Peter. Pettigrew had died just before Hadrian had been abandoned. Had he learn something and tried to warn James and Lily? It certainly fit better than the theories of Remus Lupin killing him. Remus was a school teacher of all things, not even a branded death-eater or a member of a werewolf pack, having rejected that completely. Lupin who visited Peter's grave regularly, like a true friend.
James wondered what Dumbledore was planning now. The Old man had stepped down from his few positions of power stating old age and ill health. James Potter did not trust Albus at all anymore, not after too many half truths and lies. The fact the ICW were now recognising Great Britain's current regime had greatly weakened the standing of all the exiles. The US Department of Magical Affairs currently regarded Great Britain as a strong ally, and the government was not viewed as a dictatorship as it held elections, upheld international law and allowed freedom to practice all aspects of magic. The Order continued to gather information but one step out of line in the United States and they would be branded terrorists.
James then looked at the photos in the press of his abandoned son. The opening banquet at Hogwarts and the Ministry Ball for the ICW Chairman had both reported in the Prophet and Witch Weekly. Both events had been attended by Hadrian and as the escort of the Dark Lord with the youth making society columns and being gossiped about. The young man was tall and thin taking after his namesake, Lily's father. He was dressed in the finest fashions looking every inch a pureblood heir. It was only a matter of time before the news broke of his disownment. James would deal with that when the time came.
Gringott's had already informed James on the twin's 17th birthday that the disownment did not affectd his father's will. The elder Charlus had lived to see his grandsons born and had left a large amount of gold and two properties in trust for the younger boy. It was as if his father had foreseen James not being a good father to the younger boy. His father had never warmed to Lily, until she produced twins, then he called her a worthy wife and insisting on a full bonding rather than just marriage vows. Lily had thought it romantic to be bonded after the birth of two beautiful heirs, even if she regretted it now. Thoughts of that time were bitter sweet as James' father had been murdered within a month of the boy's birth. This tragic event had caused them to go into hiding and to rely completely on Albus Dumbledore.
James went back to read through the Dark Lord's Itinerary. In three weeks, he was coming to America with Lucius Malfoy, the current Minister to visit the ICW at United Nations Plaza in New York. The present representative for Great Britain was a fellow exile and member of the Order, Dedalus Doge, Dumbledore's man through and through. It had the making of being a bun fight at best and an international incident at worst.
Mitzy then popped into James' study with the post. Top of the pile was an official envelope for Lord and Lady Potter, which proved to be an invitation to the ICW Ball for the Inauguration of Mages Voldemort and Evans to the rank of International Diplomats. Further down the pile was another envelope for Charlus Potter, Heir of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter. International Diplomats, an Honour not even bestowed on Dumbledore. This would forever remove the taint of being a Despot and Dictator from Voldemort making both him and Hadrian ICW representatives and troubleshooters for both civil and political unrest and in times of natural disasters worldwide. It was a fait accompli, out maneuvering Dumbledore in one move, making the Old man's policies of the last forty years seem like a personal grudge against progress and the illogical prejudice against Dark Magic. The emerging magical powers of Central and South America, Asia and the Far East practiced all forms of magic with no preconceived notions of light, neutral or dark. It was actions and intent not the knowledge itself that was evil. Diego Santa Cruz himself grew up in the Aztec and Mayan traditions of magic, heavily based on blood magic and sacrifice and he had been called a Dark Lord by Dumbledore on numerous occasions.
James sighed, these invitations represented a possibility for reconciliation. The possibility that he could go back to Godric's Hollow and manage his estates, sit on charitable boards and advise the Wizengamot. James Potter missed his home and freely would admit exile had brought nothing but heartache.