Alice
During the summer, I let Jacen and Ella be with their cousins and muggle friends' houses. I had work to do.
I marched down to where the Department of Mysteries representative would wait to explain to me their analysis of the Deathly Hallows and the magical impact we were dealing with. I dodged a bluebell flame that randomly shot over my head, and stared down Korr.
Despite how often we were working together with our situation, and being in-laws, I still was finding myself being creeped out by those dark blue eyes that had wisdom beyond years, and an over-eager curiosity and excitement.
"Madam Emrys," she said with a nod.
"Unspeakable Emrys," I replied curtly. "What do you have for me, Korr?"
"Everything in this file." She tossed it to me. I caught it, right before the floor titled, and I found myself sliding until I hit the wall, and when it turned back, I landed flat on my chest, and found myself gasping for oxygen.
"Ow," I moaned as I got to my feet, still clutching the file. "Thanks, Korr."
"No problem. Old rebellion leaders and family members stick together," she replied casually.
"Of course they do," I muttered, and I hurried back to the Auror HQ, where I'd gather up my notes for my private meeting with Minister Shacklebolt, to work on any emergency legislature and measures that might need to be taken in order to handle the crisis at hand.
Darklight approached. "Madam Emrys, your meeting is in five minutes."
I groaned. That meant that I'd have to leave that second in order to get there on time, since lifts only go so fast.
"Here's our report on the crisis," he said, handing me a Manila folder, and I nodded, and began to the lift. It shot up faster than usual, and I looked down to see purple flames shooting under it.
No wonder I'm going so fast. I grinned. At least magic was being pretty sweet to me.
Bang! I went to a stop, about five feet above the right door. There was enough space for a petite person... I began panicking, and knew I had to jump.
I attatched the files to my jacket with magic, and jumped down to the ledge, dangling off of it. I looked down to see dark red liquid slowly rising...
I swung myself up, and watched as the red rose to cover the doorway. I reached out to touch it, but it was only an illusion. It wasn't really there. I sighed in relief, placed my files back in hand, and began into the office. Auror guards stood in front of the door in the lobby, and a secretary, Astoria Malfoy, was watching me.
"Did you get here alright?" She asked behind bright red glasses that contrasted sharply with her pine-colored jacket and pencil skirt.
"The lift's down," I said breathlessly. "I'm here for my meeting."
"Minister Shacklebolt is just inside," she said, and the guards watched me in a stalkerish-way as I strode into the office.
Except for the papers all over the great mahogany desk, it was nice and neat, with mint colored walls, and rich oriental rugs that completed the Old World London look. Minister Shacklebolt was in royal blue robes, and looked neat.
"Madam Emrys. Please take a seat," he said in his deep, reassuring voice. I did so in the straight-backed salmon chair across from his sea of paperwork.
"Thank you for your time, Minister," I told him respectfully. "First order of business. We've done some looking in, and one of the other minor groups we've been dealing with, the Cult of LeFay, has joined forces with the Knights of Walpurgis. We've also corresponded with Headmaster Poliakoff at Durmstrang, and some pupils there have taken off. I've also got reports from the Bulgarian Minister of Magic on Aurors investigating disturbances from former followers and descendants of former followers of Grindelwald. I think he's recruiting up north. I've got similar report from the Norwegian, Finnish, Swedish, German, and Icelandic ministries."
"Interesting," Shacklebolt said, stroking his chin. "What is the plan of the Auror Department for this crisis?"
I took a deep breath. "We combined the manpower working on the Cult of LeFay and Knights of Walpurgis, so that helps. We've reduced staff on the Cult of Ragnos, and the Dark Convention, since they are minor threats, and we suspect they may eventually ally themselves with the Knights of Walpurgis."
Now the bad news.
"However, with the strategy of battle you and Mr. Darklight have suggested, we are understaffed," I explained.
"I think I know how to solve this problem," Shacklebolt said immediately.
"You do?" I asked, surprised.
"Yes. We've got a pool of talented witches and wizards at Hogwarts that are of age or almost of age," he answered. "We can cut the Auror training programs and get them out there."
"Those programs are there for a reason!" I cried angrily. "Those kids are going to get themselves killed! And that's only the tip of the dung heap! They're kids!"
"Seventeen is of age," he reminded me. "They'll be informed of the risk, but plenty will wish to help fight this war."
"Emphasis on war," I argued. "I remember being a child soldier. Remember how scarred our generation was? We were child soldiers, fighting when the adults didn't have the courage. I'm not putting these children through what we had to."
"It should be their choice, and it will give us the resources we need. Honestly, it's not like we're giving the first-years the opportunity to use the Killing Curse," he said firmly.
"You say that now," I mumbled under my breath. "Fine."
"Thank you, Madam Emrys," he said. "Also, I'd like to station Darklight at Hogwarts to recruit and send out missions."
"I can do that," I replied. "He knows enough, and he does usually head Auror training, so it'll be fine."
"Good," he replied. "With the Hydra Plan, we'll be done with this war in two-three years."
"Thank you for your time, Minister," I said reluctantly, and I strode out. I couldn't believe what I was being forced to authorize. This can't be happening to me.
But it is. It always is.