A/N: As always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX - TRADING TRUTHS - PART ONE

Getting Becca in to see Orin wasn't hard.

Getting her in to see him with a plausible story had kept Orion up most of the night. He knew the man was as astute as they came, and getting a lie past him was going to be like driving a tank through a metal detector and hoping no alarms would go off.

And he was more than a bit apprehensive about Katlin's plan of trying to get Becca into the agency as Orin Bale's new protégée. For starters, Orin was no fool. While it wasn't unusual for Orion, or any of the other agents, for that matter, to bring a particularly gifted wizard or witch to their superior's attention, Orion was all but dropping this one on his doorstep.

There was also the added problem of trying to keep Becca's true nature a secret. Orion again visualized the tank trying to make it's way silently through the metal detector.

The biggest problem was that Becca had no background to speak of. Although technically she was only about fifteen, Orion thought she looked more like a woman in her late twenties. And that left a lot of time unaccounted for in her life. But Katlin had worked up a story to cover most of it using her own as a prototype, which she insisted would work for them by playing on the sympathy vote.

Becca, Katlin had told Orion, was going to be a young witch who had the misfortune of being attacked by the Deatheaters. The attack was a random act not sanctioned by the dark lord. That, she had told him, would keep not having heard about the attack off Orin's radar.

Voldemort, Katlin continued on with the girl's story, recognizing her better than average magical power, had tried to assimilate the girl into the Deatheaters.

That, Katlin reasoned, would wet Orin's appetite to keep her on, if only to keep her out of Voldemort's hands. Katlin would vouch that she had seen the girl at the lair, felt sorry for the lost, frightened looking girl, and brought her to Orion, telling him the girl did seem to have certain potential and she didn't want to see her fall into the Dark Lord's hands. But she needed protection or Voldemort would simply find her and bring her back again. This afforded credibility to her needing to be taken into the agency quickly, bypassing hopefully a lot of the checks they would try to run on the story, and also possibly allow them to keep Becca with them when Orin would try to figure out where the young girl was to live. She already knew them, and Katlin had supposedly rescued her from the Deatheaters. They were the obvious choice.

Orion had actually been a bit surprised at how well Katlin's story fit together. Although it still had hole's in it, he had tried his best to fill them in. The biggest problem was the whole beginning. Orion was sure that saying the girl was the survivor of a Deatheater attack that the agency knew nothing about would raise red flags with Orin. But Katlin had successfully argued him down, coming up with the 'random attack' story line.

Katlin had added in an unfortunate case of amnesia due to the attack to cover Becca not being able to give any accounting of her life before the attack.

Orion hadn't been overly fond of that addition to the story, but conceded they needed something to cover her lack of history. Unfortunately it was likely to raise even more red flags with Orin. And also raise his personal curiosity as to where the girl had come from. Mysteries and Orin Bale were like a dog with a bone. And both Orion and Katlin felt fairly certain that under even the mildest interrogation, Becca would crack. And no matter how much time Orion spent with her trying to solidify her story, the feeling never quite went away.

After rehearsing the story himself over and over through the night, Orion finally felt he was ready to face his superior. He hoped that Orin would be more intrigued with the girl and her latent abilities, and that this would help nudge him in the direction of accepting the background they created for her on face value.

(--------------------------------)

On the day of the appointment Orion wasn't sure which of them was more nervous. Becca hadn't stopped fidgeting since they left the house, and now that they sat in his office she was worse than ever.

"Becca, can you sit still for just one minute, please?" Orion begged her. Her nerves were doing nothing for his focus.

"I can't help it." The fledgling 'Power' replied. "You haven't exactly told me that much about this Orin Bale."

Well, that wasn't hard to explain. Orion, even for having known Orin for the past several years and likely being as close to the man as Bale allowed anyone to get, was still mostly an enigma to him. Orion had never known anyone in his life that kept more to themselves than his reticent superior. Outside the office Orion knew almost nothing about his superior's private life. He knew Orin lived in a large, old house outside of London. That he had once been married to a woman named Melissa, that he had no children, and he still saw his ex-wife on occasion.

He also knew that the man had not gotten his position based on his winning personality, but more so that, in the wizarding community, there were very few wizards or witches who could match skills with the head of the Unspeakables.

That was likely a whole book full of information more than most of his fellow agents knew about their leader.

"Orin is a very nice man." He answered with what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "Now, just remember, all we here for today is for Orin to see if he feels you have any potential to be taught. He'll probably take you to one of the training rooms and run you through a few paces spell-wise. Just.....do what he asks, but keep it low key."

"Low key?" Becca repeated with an inquiring stare.

Orion nodded. "Yes, for instance, if he asks you to do anything that involves defense, try to do it in such a way that nothing dies, all right?"

Becca seemed to consider the request, then nodded quickly.

Any other words of advise were cut short as Orin Bale entered the office. "Meeting ran a bit late." He stated as he walked past them and seated himself in his chair. Orion had long since come to note that the man never apologized for anything. He simply stated facts and moved on.

"Now," he continued, slipping the folder he had brought with him into his desk before he turned to face them, "You, I take it, are Becca?"

Becca stared at the man with a doe-in-the-headlights sort of stare. She turned quickly to Orion and tapped his arm. "You didn't tell me he was........"

But Orion cut her off. "Just answer questions, Becca." He reminded her in a quiet tone. "We talked about this last night, remember?"

Becca paused, then nodded as she turned back to the man behind the desk. Orion and Katlin had spent several hours the previous night, in fact, trying to prepare the girl for this meeting. Becca righted herself in her chair again with a regal posture, folded her hands in her lap and met the stare of the man across the desk with one of her own. "Yes, that's right." She replied formally.

Orion wished he had arranged some cue with her to signal her to tone down the theatrics. But thankfully, he noted, Orin seemed to find the girl's obvious 'stage face' amusing.

"And Mr. Black seems to feel you have some potential to be with our department." Bale went on.

Becca only nodded this time.

Orin favored the woman with a small smile. Anyone else would likely have thought he was simply trying to put the girl more at ease. And Orion at first thought the smile was more just part of his superior's amusement at the girl's over-acted role. But slowly he began to get the nudging feeling there was something else behind the smile. Something he didn't quite like the feel of.

"Quiet little thing, aren't you?" The Unspeakable's leader commented.

"Becca's very nervous, Orin." Orion put in quickly.

"Nervous doesn't begin to describe her." Came the short reply as the man never took his eyes off the girl. But finally he let his gaze slide slowly over to his agent for a moment before getting up from his chair. "I suppose," he stated casually, "it's best to start at the beginning. Before I waste any time on interviews, I like to see if there's any potential with this girl. If you'd come with me, Becca, I'd like to see what your level is."

"Level?" Becca inquired as she turned to Orion for help.

"Orin wants to see what level of magic you're at, Becca." He offered. "He's going to take you to the training room now. We discussed this, remember?"

Becca paused, then slowly got to her feet with a small nod.

This had been just another part of Orion and Katlin trying to prepare the girl for the entire ordeal the night before. They ran through a simulation of everything that was likely to take place the next day, taking her through it step by step so she wouldn't be frightened by anything that happened. The 'assessment' was the part Orion had the hardest time explaining to her. He had told her that at some point, likely very early in the interview, Orin was going to want to see what she could do magically.

This had sent Becca into a tailspin where any self-confidence was concerned.

"But I can't do proper magic!" She had wailed. "He'll see that as plain as day."

But Orion had calmed her down by telling her that in this case, it was best she show Orin what she could really do.

"Have fun with it." Orion had tried to help ease her into the idea. "Blow a few things up."

Becca had met the suggestion with a skeptical look.

"Orin doesn't care if you can do 'proper' magic or not, Becca." Orion explained to her. "Katlin and I are presenting you as a young witch with a great deal of magical ability, albeit unfocused. It's your natural talent that Orin will be looking for. And because of the story we're giving him, Orin will be expecting to see you blow a few things up. So, give him what he's expecting. Just tone it down a little bit. Letting too much of your power out will make him suspicious. But even at half strength, you still be impressive enough to get his attention, and likely get your training."

It was the remembered promise of her eagerly sought after training that had brought Becca back in focus with what she needed to do. The girl had nodded, but still had a skeptical look on her face.

(-----------------------------)

Ninety of the longest minutes of Orion's life later, Orin came back into the office with Becca trailing close behind.

Well, everyone was still alive. That, to Orion, was a positive sign. Maybe he had worried for nothing after all.

While Becca made a beeline for the chair next to Orion, seating herself in it with bowed head and hands tightly clasped together in her lap, Bale seated himself behind his desk again and folded his arms on it. Turning his attention to the other man, he regarded Orion past a friendly smile.

Orion considered the whole scene, from the girl sitting next to him looking like she had just been caught smoking in the girl's lavatory, to the man sitting across from him giving him a smile that was, for Orin Bale, the equivalent of grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Nope. Something was definitely wrong.

"Well, you are bound and determined to keep my life interesting, aren't you?" Orin ask the man sitting across from him.

Orion tried to choose his words very carefully. "Well, I did tell you she was a little inexperienced, Orin."

"No, no." Bale replied, ticking a finger back and forth in front of Orion. "No, a student attending his first day of school in Charms class is 'a little inexperienced', Mr. Black. That word doesn't even begin to explain this girl. And quite frankly, I must say I am a bit disappointed in you. If you had been up front with me from the beginning, things might have gone a great deal easier for all involved here."

Orion said nothing, but gave the man a decided puzzled look in return.

Orin leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers in front of him as he paused for several moments before speaking again. "There are things about myself, Orion," he said finally, "that I would have preferred to keep private. But now that you've brought this child to me, I really see no way for certain matters to remain as they have been."

Orion considered the whole statement about the strangest he had ever heard from his superior.

"Orin, I'm really not sure what you're talking about." He replied. "I brought Becca to you because I thought she had some potential. I told you..........."

"What you've told me," Orin cut him off quickly, "is what you wanted me to hear about this girl. Which apparently holds true for the last mission I sent you on as well. You told me only what you wanted me to hear. But maybe now you'd like to tell me the truth."

"The truth?" Orion ask in as vague sounding a tone as he could manage. "I'm not really sure what........"

"All right." He stated. "Fair is fair. We'll trade truths, all right?"

Orion studied the man across the desk from him with a genuinely puzzled look. "Orin, I'm sure I don't know what.........."

But Bale effectively cut him off by holding up his hand. In his palm a blinding white flash of light erupted, then faded down just enough for Orion to make out the shimmering white sphere that sat nestled in his palm.

Orion had thought that life and experience had brought him to a place where nothing could really surprise him anymore.

He couldn't have been more wrong.

Q&A

ilovesiriusblack

Ok I can believe that Bo would not have bothered to look. I can't decide whether or not it would be a god idea to give Orin Bale that kind of fire power he does seem a little bit lacking in moral standards when he is prepared to take advantage of someone with amnesia.
Looking forward to the next chapter.

Actually, you surprise with that. One would have thought Bo would have at least made some attempt to locate another of his own kind. But apparently his humans have kept him busy and entertained enough not to bother. And his lack of interest is explained in the next chapter.

Well, Orin Bale's moral codes not withstanding, I would have to say he is more taking advantage of a situation than the person involved in it. I know, I know....., semantics.

MasterLupin

Hmm... I would think that Orion would be most displeased with Katlin's suggesting that Orin would be a good solution to the problem.
Orion not being able to focus on a problem that dose not require force to solve seems like a fatal weakness as an unspeakable. I would imagine that Voldermort would capitalize on that. Also I would think that it would lead to problems raising the 6 children.

Well, he's not so much displeased as is he cautious about it. He knows Orin Bale a lot better than Katlin does, and as this chapter pointed out, he saw a lot of potential trouble in trying to pass Becca off as a new protégée.

It's not so much a fatal flaw as one that lends itself as a perfect compliment to his wife's otherwise cool demeanor. Over and over again in this story the two opposing sides will show quite clearly in how each deals with the otherwise very volatile Becca.

All reviews are as of 08/23/2009.

And remember;

Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.

::: All characters of the Harry Potter series (hereafter known as 'legal property') are the sole ownership of J.K. Rowling (hereafter known as 'owner of said legal property'). No infringement on any copyright of owner of said legal property of the legal property is knowing intended. Published by author (hereafter known as 'other') for entertainment purposes only. No monetary or personal gain was knowingly made by other with the publication of this story, which was based on ideas and characters created by owner of said legal property as they pertain to legal property. No plagiarism of legal property or of any ideas of the owner of said legal property was knowingly intended by other. This statement is fully transferable and is legally held binding for all chapters of the story Family Ties as they are presented under different chapter headings and titles for individual chapters.

A/N: My eternal gratitude to anyone who can tell me how to upload a story so quotation marks show up, or who can help me stop copy/paste from putting up duel sets of my story.

And as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer

: All characters of the Harry Potter series (hereafter known as 'legal property') are the sole ownership of J.K. Rowling (hereafter known as 'owner of said legal property'). No infringement on any copyright of owner of said legal property of the legal property is knowing intended. Published by author (hereafter known as 'other') for entertainment purposes only. No monetary or personal gain was knowingly made by other with the publication of this story, which was based on ideas and characters created by owner of said legal property as they pertain to legal property. No plagiarism of legal property or of any ideas of the owner of said legal property was knowingly intended by other. This statement is fully transferable and is legally held binding for all chapters of the story Family Ties as they are presented under different chapter headings and titles for individual chapters.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX - TRADING TRUTHS - PART ONE

Getting Becca in to see Orin wasn't hard.

Getting her in to see him with a plausible story had kept Orion up most of the night. He knew the man was as astute as they came, and getting a lie past him was going to be like driving a tank through a metal detector and hoping no alarms would go off.

And he was more than a bit apprehensive about Katlin's plan of trying to get Becca into the agency as Orin Bale's new protégée. For starters, Orin was no fool. While it wasn't unusual for Orion, or any of the other agents, for that matter, to bring a particularly gifted wizard or witch to their superior's attention, Orion was all but dropping this one on his doorstep.

There was also the added problem of trying to keep Becca's true nature a secret. Orion again visualized the tank trying to make it's way silently through the metal detector.

The biggest problem was that Becca had no background to speak of. Although technically she was only about fifteen, Orion thought she looked more like a woman in her late twenties. And that left a lot of time unaccounted for in her life. But Katlin had worked up a story to cover most of it using her own as a prototype, which she insisted would work for them by playing on the sympathy vote.

Becca, Katlin had told Orion, was going to be a young witch who had the misfortune of being attacked by the Deatheaters. The attack was a random act not sanctioned by the dark lord. That, she had told him, would keep not having heard about the attack off Orin's radar.

Voldemort, Katlin continued on with the girl's story, recognizing her better than average magical power, had tried to assimilate the girl into the Deatheaters.

That, Katlin reasoned, would wet Orin's appetite to keep her on, if only to keep her out of Voldemort's hands. Katlin would vouch that she had seen the girl at the lair, felt sorry for the lost, frightened looking girl, and brought her to Orion, telling him the girl did seem to have certain potential and she didn't want to see her fall into the Dark Lord's hands. But she needed protection or Voldemort would simply find her and bring her back again. This afforded credibility to her needing to be taken into the agency quickly, bypassing hopefully a lot of the checks they would try to run on the story, and also possibly allow them to keep Becca with them when Orin would try to figure out where the young girl was to live. She already knew them, and Katlin had supposedly rescued her from the Deatheaters. They were the obvious choice.

Orion had actually been a bit surprised at how well Katlin's story fit together. Although it still had hole's in it, he had tried his best to fill them in. The biggest problem was the whole beginning. Orion was sure that saying the girl was the survivor of a Deatheater attack that the agency knew nothing about would raise red flags with Orin. But Katlin had successfully argued him down, coming up with the 'random attack' story line.

Katlin had added in an unfortunate case of amnesia due to the attack to cover Becca not being able to give any accounting of her life before the attack.

Orion hadn't been overly fond of that addition to the story, but conceded they needed something to cover her lack of history. Unfortunately it was likely to raise even more red flags with Orin. And also raise his personal curiosity as to where the girl had come from. Mysteries and Orin Bale were like a dog with a bone. And both Orion and Katlin felt fairly certain that under even the mildest interrogation, Becca would crack. And no matter how much time Orion spent with her trying to solidify her story, the feeling never quite went away.

After rehearsing the story himself over and over through the night, Orion finally felt he was ready to face his superior. He hoped that Orin would be more intrigued with the girl and her latent abilities, and that this would help nudge him in the direction of accepting the background they created for her on face value.

(--------------------------------)

On the day of the appointment Orion wasn't sure which of them was more nervous. Becca hadn't stopped fidgeting since they left the house, and now that they sat in his office she was worse than ever.

"Becca, can you sit still for just one minute, please?" Orion begged her. Her nerves were doing nothing for his focus.

"I can't help it." The fledgling 'Power' replied. "You haven't exactly told me that much about this Orin Bale."

Well, that wasn't hard to explain. Orion, even for having known Orin for the past several years and likely being as close to the man as Bale allowed anyone to get, was still mostly an enigma to him. Orion had never known anyone in his life that kept more to themselves than his reticent superior. Outside the office Orion knew almost nothing about his superior's private life. He knew Orin lived in a large, old house outside of London. That he had once been married to a woman named Melissa, that he had no children, and he still saw his ex-wife on occasion.

He also knew that the man had not gotten his position based on his winning personality, but more so that, in the wizarding community, there were very few wizards or witches who could match skills with the head of the Unspeakables.

That was likely a whole book full of information more than most of his fellow agents knew about their leader.

"Orin is a very nice man." He answered with what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "Now, just remember, all we here for today is for Orin to see if he feels you have any potential to be taught. He'll probably take you to one of the training rooms and run you through a few paces spell-wise. Just.....do what he asks, but keep it low key."

"Low key?" Becca repeated with an inquiring stare.

Orion nodded. "Yes, for instance, if he asks you to do anything that involves defense, try to do it in such a way that nothing dies, all right?"

Becca seemed to consider the request, then nodded quickly.

Any other words of advise were cut short as Orin Bale entered the office. "Meeting ran a bit late." He stated as he walked past them and seated himself in his chair. Orion had long since come to note that the man never apologized for anything. He simply stated facts and moved on.

"Now," he continued, slipping the folder he had brought with him into his desk before he turned to face them, "You, I take it, are Becca?"

Becca stared at the man with a doe-in-the-headlights sort of stare. She turned quickly to Orion and tapped his arm. "You didn't tell me he was........"

But Orion cut her off. "Just answer questions, Becca." He reminded her in a quiet tone. "We talked about this last night, remember?"

Becca paused, then nodded as she turned back to the man behind the desk. Orion and Katlin had spent several hours the previous night, in fact, trying to prepare the girl for this meeting. Becca righted herself in her chair again with a regal posture, folded her hands in her lap and met the stare of the man across the desk with one of her own. "Yes, that's right." She replied formally.

Orion wished he had arranged some cue with her to signal her to tone down the theatrics. But thankfully, he noted, Orin seemed to find the girl's obvious 'stage face' amusing.

"And Mr. Black seems to feel you have some potential to be with our department." Bale went on.

Becca only nodded this time.

Orin favored the woman with a small smile. Anyone else would likely have thought he was simply trying to put the girl more at ease. And Orion at first thought the smile was more just part of his superior's amusement at the girl's over-acted role. But slowly he began to get the nudging feeling there was something else behind the smile. Something he didn't quite like the feel of.

"Quiet little thing, aren't you?" The Unspeakable's leader commented.

"Becca's very nervous, Orin." Orion put in quickly.

"Nervous doesn't begin to describe her." Came the short reply as the man never took his eyes off the girl. But finally he let his gaze slide slowly over to his agent for a moment before getting up from his chair. "I suppose," he stated casually, "it's best to start at the beginning. Before I waste any time on interviews, I like to see if there's any potential with this girl. If you'd come with me, Becca, I'd like to see what your level is."

"Level?" Becca inquired as she turned to Orion for help.

"Orin wants to see what level of magic you're at, Becca." He offered. "He's going to take you to the training room now. We discussed this, remember?"

Becca paused, then slowly got to her feet with a small nod.

This had been just another part of Orion and Katlin trying to prepare the girl for the entire ordeal the night before. They ran through a simulation of everything that was likely to take place the next day, taking her through it step by step so she wouldn't be frightened by anything that happened. The 'assessment' was the part Orion had the hardest time explaining to her. He had told her that at some point, likely very early in the interview, Orin was going to want to see what she could do magically.

This had sent Becca into a tailspin where any self-confidence was concerned.

"But I can't do proper magic!" She had wailed. "He'll see that as plain as day."

But Orion had calmed her down by telling her that in this case, it was best she show Orin what she could really do.

"Have fun with it." Orion had tried to help ease her into the idea. "Blow a few things up."

Becca had met the suggestion with a skeptical look.

"Orin doesn't care if you can do 'proper' magic or not, Becca." Orion explained to her. "Katlin and I are presenting you as a young witch with a great deal of magical ability, albeit unfocused. It's your natural talent that Orin will be looking for. And because of the story we're giving him, Orin will be expecting to see you blow a few things up. So, give him what he's expecting. Just tone it down a little bit. Letting too much of your power out will make him suspicious. But even at half strength, you still be impressive enough to get his attention, and likely get your training."

It was the remembered promise of her eagerly sought after training that had brought Becca back in focus with what she needed to do. The girl had nodded, but still had a skeptical look on her face.

(-----------------------------)

Ninety of the longest minutes of Orion's life later, Orin came back into the office with Becca trailing close behind.

Well, everyone was still alive. That, to Orion, was a positive sign. Maybe he had worried for nothing after all.

While Becca made a beeline for the chair next to Orion, seating herself in it with bowed head and hands tightly clasped together in her lap, Bale seated himself behind his desk again and folded his arms on it. Turning his attention to the other man, he regarded Orion past a friendly smile.

Orion considered the whole scene, from the girl sitting next to him looking like she had just been caught smoking in the girl's lavatory, to the man sitting across from him giving him a smile that was, for Orin Bale, the equivalent of grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Nope. Something was definitely wrong.

"Well, you are bound and determined to keep my life interesting, aren't you?" Orin ask the man sitting across from him.

Orion tried to choose his words very carefully. "Well, I did tell you she was a little inexperienced, Orin."

"No, no." Bale replied, ticking a finger back and forth in front of Orion. "No, a student attending his first day of school in Charms class is 'a little inexperienced', Mr. Black. That word doesn't even begin to explain this girl. And quite frankly, I must say I am a bit disappointed in you. If you had been up front with me from the beginning, things might have gone a great deal easier for all involved here."

Orion said nothing, but gave the man a decided puzzled look in return.

Orin leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers in front of him as he paused for several moments before speaking again. "There are things about myself, Orion," he said finally, "that I would have preferred to keep private. But now that you've brought this child to me, I really see no way for certain matters to remain as they have been."

Orion considered the whole statement about the strangest he had ever heard from his superior.

"Orin, I'm really not sure what you're talking about." He replied. "I brought Becca to you because I thought she had some potential. I told you..........."

"What you've told me," Orin cut him off quickly, "is what you wanted me to hear about this girl. Which apparently holds true for the last mission I sent you on as well. You told me only what you wanted me to hear. But maybe now you'd like to tell me the truth."

"The truth?" Orion ask in as vague sounding a tone as he could manage. "I'm not really sure what........"

"All right." He stated. "Fair is fair. We'll trade truths, all right?"

Orion studied the man across the desk from him with a genuinely puzzled look. "Orin, I'm sure I don't know what.........."

But Bale effectively cut him off by holding up his hand. In his palm a blinding white flash of light erupted, then faded down just enough for Orion to make out the shimmering white sphere that sat nestled in his palm.

Orion had thought that life and experience had brought him to a place where nothing could really surprise him anymore.

He couldn't have been more wrong.

Q&A

ilovesiriusblack

Ok I can believe that Bo would not have bothered to look. I can't decide whether or not it would be a god idea to give Orin Bale that kind of fire power he does seem a little bit lacking in moral standards when he is prepared to take advantage of someone with amnesia.
Looking forward to the next chapter.

Actually, you surprise with that. One would have thought Bo would have at least made some attempt to locate another of his own kind. But apparently his humans have kept him busy and entertained enough not to bother. And his lack of interest is explained in the next chapter.

Well, Orin Bale's moral codes not withstanding, I would have to say he is more taking advantage of a situation than the person involved in it. I know, I know....., semantics.

MasterLupin

:

Hmm... I would think that Orion would be most displeased with Katlin's suggesting that Orin would be a good solution to the problem.
Orion not being able to focus on a problem that dose not require force to solve seems like a fatal weakness as an unspeakable. I would imagine that Voldermort would capitalize on that. Also I would think that it would lead to problems raising the 6 children.

Well, he's not so much displeased as is he cautious about it. He knows Orin Bale a lot better than Katlin does, and as this chapter pointed out, he saw a lot of potential trouble in trying to pass Becca off as a new protégée.

It's not so much a fatal flaw as one that lends itself as a perfect compliment to his wife's otherwise cool demeanor. Over and over again in this story the two opposing sides will show quite clearly in how each deals with the otherwise very volatile Becca.

All reviews are as of 08/23/2009.

And remember;

Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.

: