Cynthia heaved a sigh as she observed the man before her. Duke Greengrass seemed agreeable enough: not a bad man aesthetically, with a rather warm smile and a raucous laugh. He was celebrity chef, that much she knew. He had his own restaurant and produced cookbooks that her mother loved - though Cynthia suspected the appeal had a more ... rudimentary dimension. Such is the case for bored housewives. In the hypothetical scenario where a relationship does work out for them, she knew her mother would approve.
"As I was saying, these scallops were seared pretty well, but personally, I'd say there needs to be more seasoning in the butter. It has to be just right," Duke described the food on their platter assiduously, as if comparing it with his own achievements.
"Oh I'm sure you'll make them much better. I'll be sure to visit your restaurant some day, I've actually been meaning to go for a long time," Cynthia remarked - except, you know, I was kind of staying at home and submerged in a state of depression for a long while and now I'm too busy with work.
"I remember you from our Hogwarts days, you were the Chaser on Gryffindor's Quidditch Team," Duke moved seamlessly into personal introductions.
"4-1. Take that," Cynthia said with a wry smirk.
"Now I'll remind you that Slytherin did manage to win the Quidditch cup 5 out of the 7 years when we were in Hogwarts - and more after that as well-"
"Oh come on, first year doesn't count, none of us were on the team -" They were both smiling.
"Well, as a former Seeker, I will concede that Gryffindor often had the upper hand against us. But somehow you guys always managed to lose to Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Beats me."
"Ah, the good old days..."
"I mean, we could still follow quidditch on TV or go to a match some day. The World Cup is coming up soon and I reckon England finally has a good shot this time round..."
"That's what people say every year."
"Well, if you say one thing many times, some time, it is bound to be right!"
"That's one way of viewing things."
"I guess - speaking of which, I do need to gather my old housemates for a quidditch viewing some day," Cynthia remarked, partly to herself as well, "It's been a while since we last hosted a reunion. You gave me the perfect idea."
"Ah reunions, I met with my friends a few weeks ago, just before Alumni Day. Didn't get to go to that one though. Good times. It's surprising where people end up too, you know. You think they're going one way at Hogwarts, then they go out and do something completely different. I never thought about being a chef; I've always wanted to study Ancient Runes..."
"What brings the career change?"
"Couldn't get a job." Duke snorted. "Not that I minded, I love what I'm doing now."
"I guess I can't really relate. I've always wanted to be an Auror since Fifth-Year."
"Dedication is an admirable trait. I wish I knew what I wanted to do... Coming to think of it though, not many people knew what they wanted to do. Spontaneity can be a gift from life," Duke mused.
They went on and on about their lives, interests and opinions. It was a rather amiable conversation that Cynthia admittedly really enjoyed. The guy seemed like a chill person she would actually date - but there was work to do and pressing questions to ask. Except she did not know where or how to slip them in. And in all honesty, she wanted this to go on as naturally as it takes. It has been a while since she last went on a date and given the state of her mind in the past few years, she was not exactly looking for a boyfriend either. But even before, with her all-consuming job as an Auror, none of her dates went anywhere. There were a few flings here and there but all romantic sentiments simply petered out without much tending effort.
Admittedly, she had a crush on several of her colleagues before. Nothing too serious.
Albus Potter was one initially: she thought him amicable, attractive and witty. Obviously a poor judge of character given hindsight but even after a few months of working with him, she realized there was a certain distance he put around him. Professional but never really letting his personal side slip, with a hint of paranoia and madness, coupled with, of course, brilliance, that only really became apparent after that night.
Thomas MacLaggen was a more raw subject. They often grabbed lunch and coffee together, not to mention all the all-nighters they pulled at the office alone when working on an assigned deadline. They also went to the same house at Hogwarts, played on the same Quidditch team and were placed on the same training course at the Aurors. Perhaps all of his signs were just a mirage, conjured up by Cynthia's oversensitive instincts because ultimately, it never went anywhere. Sure, they commiserated together when Albus had left (was kicked out of) the Aurors and all the talks ultimately led to a few drunken nights together, whispering comforts and fucking senselessly until they forgot everything. But after the disastrous incident in Romania when they failed to capture Albus, he grew more distant and began ignoring her calls and rejecting further invitations to hang out outside of work. After her probation, he cut her off entirely. Perhaps she reminded him of things he'd rather forget. Yet it never really was a relationship; there was no formal acknowledgement, just a few one-night stands that were naturally assumed to be friends with benefitting having fun. And now when they met again, now when he's temporarily assigned to her team, he was reticent to speaking with her but, otherwise, acting as if nothing had happened. No explanation. No anything. No -
"You look disturbed," Duke observed.
"Sorry, I was just a little distracted by... certain unpleasant memories. Thinking about how old friends just kind of drift away. Well, more like an old friend who's drifted away and now drifted back. We all have these."
"Indeed. I barely keep in touch with my olds friends from Hogwarts. Just my brother and Hector. I wonder how it would've been like if we all met again - I mean, not all of us could but it would be something. I didn't even make it to Alumni Day. Had a cooking show schedule that clashed. I hosted a competition that was broadcasted across Ireland. The Weekly Witches' Conundrum. It's about middle-aged witches who can't cook trying to learn a recipe in 3 hours. I'm often a guest there for some reason. A shame though, would have loved to watch the Quidditch match."
Noted. Cynthia would cross-check his claims with other sources. But if he really wasn't even there then that's another name off.
"...Then again, my brother told me I would have missed out a lot of other drama. Albus Potter reportedly snuck back into England that day. A blessing in disguise, I guess."
"The turmoils of life never end."
"Well, let's move onto a more cheerful topic, shall we?"
They both smiled.
~X~
Lawrence waved his last student goodbye and sighed as he gazed at the family picture on his desk. He had been feuding with his brother for weeks now. Admittedly, Neil had every right to be sceptical, frustrated and angry with him but, at the same time, his blasted little brother just had to let out a stream of inebriated blather that landed Lawrence in an interrogation. He just had to get so worked up about the case with Albus Potter. Admittedly, it was - well, Lawrence did not regret his role in helping the guy escape and providing cover from time to time. He wished he never had began doing it, given all the apparent troubles it brought, but the guy did help his family navigate the turmoil surrounding the (old) new Dark Lord and never really tried to harm anyone he cared about.
Nevertheless, it pained Lawrence to conceal everything from his little brother. Little Neil, so eagerly working on his case and probably onto something important. But Lawrence did not want to reveal anything - how would he even begin? Given all the tacit conversations he had with his fellow housemates. It appeared he was the only one of them that still kept a regular correspondence with Albus and that could incur criminal charges. But that had stopped. After Alumni Day, Lawrence finally decided to cut all ties and Albus was understanding. Imagine: all the work, all the credence and reputation built up as the Charms Professor at Ilvermorny wiped away by a decision that made perfect sense all these years ago.
No.
Could he face his brother?
Could he?
Yes. When the time is right, he would sit his brother down and explain everything. When the time is right.
~X~
Neil entered Professor Nott's office in Ilvermorny with a box of chocolates and an apology letter memorized inside his head. He would be exceptionally nice, exceptionally police and exceptionally self-flagellating. He needed to get Lawrence to talk. Anything meaningful - not just because Lawrence could reveal something seminal to the case he was working on but also because Lawrence was his brother. His flesh and blood. And at the end of the day, no matter how much they argued, they always made up and cared for each other. It's not emotionally manipulative to do such a thing, right?
"Ah, there you are Neil. How are the toils of the Auror department weighing on you?"
Neil instinctively rubbed his eyes, laden with dark circles. Sleep deprivation was kind of the point of being an Auror. "Nothing unusual," he remarked. "A lot on my mind actually, but it happens when you're in charge of a team in the Auror's."
"At least you're not in charge of rowdy school children," Lawrence chuckled.
"There's always a bright side to everything," Neil mused. "I missed you brother."
"Me too, Neil. I guess I have some apologies to make. But - but you'll have to listen to me explain everything. I - I don't know where to begin."
"Wherever you feel comfortable," Neil nudged encouragingly.
"It's really not what you think, Neil. It's - you are familiar with the Sons of Walpurgis?" There was a pause as Lawrence waited for a reaction. "I know you were still in Hogwarts during their early days and by the time your Auror training was over, well, it wasn't a threat anymore. But surely, you've picked things up from all the chatter?"
"Indeed, I'm not going to lie, I was terrified of them. Not that - well, I'm sure you can sympathize Lawrence, I simply had no desire to be associated with them, but you know that's kind of impossible. But then if you turn them away, they become a threat to you and you still have to deal with all the suspicions from everyone else. Above all though, I just wished they would disappear, I mean so life would be easier for me and us. Okay, I sound awfully opportunistic but I-"
"Oh Neil, don't be. We're on the same boat. Mom and dad wanted to book a secret location in Mallorca and wait things out."
"That's kind of why I stuck with being an Auror in the first place. Not to prove I'm not evil or anything - I actually do enjoy the things and skills involved - but so I can live a life of clarify, you know? I don't like being approached by shady dark wizards asking me to join their cause, it's creepy and I'd rather they know that I'll always be opposed to them than appear as some ambiguous target." It felt good to get things out of his chest. He froze. He was talking too much, way too much . It was supposed to be the opposite "And yes I was approached by the Sons of Walpurgis, multiple times."
"So have I, that's why I stayed in America."
"I thought you actually liked teaching."
"Well, of course I did. I wouldn't still be here otherwise."
"How about you? Are you faring better with your team of misfits?"
"Splendidly," Neil retorted.
Lawrence laughed.
"No, I really mean it! We started out rough, but they're wonderful. I wouldn't trade them with anyone else. Cynthia, Lily, Morrison, Tobias - not a single one of them," Neil answered. "I mean, sometimes I wish they talked a bit less."
"Ah the toils... where was I? We got a bit distracted didn't we?" Lawrence remarked.
"Merlin's beard, we always do."
"The Son's of Walpurgis were after me. They were after all of us. Vacilius Nott - you remember him?"
"Our crazy cousin. Had a few unpleasant interactions here and there."
"He kept trying to recruit me. Actually, he vacillated between trying to recruit me and threatening to kill me, often over the telephone. Pure Blood supremacists are a confused bunch. Naturally, I was worried. Albus worked at the Auror department, so I relayed my concerns to him. I help him gather some useful intel on the identity of the members of the Sons of Walpurgis - a lot of them were surprisingly willing to reveal themselves - and in exchange, he informed me about any threats on the horizon. How useful, I could not tell. I felt safer. More importantly, I suppose it was some sort of psychological support. Of course, at the end of the day, there was still much we did not know."
"Even to this day," Neil added. "I- Go on, brother." He felt his head hurt, just a little. Must be the time difference weighing in.
"You know, sometimes you never suspect those that are close to you. Did I tell you that I was actually quite close with Vacilius when we were young? It was pre-Hogwarts for me after all, but we used to go on family vacations together. Then his father beat his mother to death and shipped him off to Durmstrang. It's strange, you know, I still remember enjoying all these tag games and sandcastle buildings sessions, but now when I look back at the times our families were together, it feels... tainted."
"Yes, well, I was probably too young to remember."
"You weren't even born."
"Definitely too young then."
"So that was how you and Albus set up correspondence? Did he help you in anyway other than information and moral support? I mean, the way you said it kind of -"
"Oh I helped him far more probably, but there was this assassin they tried to send after me that was intercepted and incarcerated by his team."
"Go on, I feel like I'm interrupting you - "
"The Sons of Walpurgis, first they were nothing, then they were everywhere and suddenly, they were nothing again. All their members captured, their leader killed, their resources confiscated - it all happened so fast. One moment I was worried sick about our safety and suddenly it was all okay."
"But do you know anything that happened that night? Do you still talk to Albus Potter?"
A pause. Lawrence was frowning, biting his lip, thinking hard.
"Neil... what I'm about to tell you..."
Neil waited for his next sentence.
"This I'm comfortable sharing with little Neil my brother, but not Neil the Auror. I would like you to sign the following document, then I'll talk," Lawrence uttered, staring closely at Neil. "If you do end up trying to arrest me..."
"Of course I won't! That escapade with Director Thunberg was an accident, I swear! He's been following and stalking my activities! I swear!"
"That's a bit of an over-exaggeration, even though I personally found the interrogation exceedingly unpleasant."
"Yes, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."
Lawrence's eyes scanned him, they narrowed a little and Neil pouted in response, ignoring the buzzing in his head, which was getting a little painful. "You don't trust me?"
"Trust you on what?"
"To not ... stab you in the back?"
"Oh I don't think you'd literally be able to penetr-"
"No I mean - I know I'm an Auror, but this doesn't change anything! This doesn't mean anything!" Neil was getting mildly frustrated. To think -
"Fine, you know, Neil, keeping these secrets to yourself sure is exhausting. My correspondence with Albus Potter has been limited. I - before he disappeared, he went to visit me here. We smoked pot under the skies and I had no idea what just happened. I tuned off the news because I didn't feel like following it. Then, when I finally caught up, it was too late, he was out of sight, out of mind. We sometimes wrote to each other though, I'll admit. I never believed he was some ascendant Dark Lord, that's just ridiculous. But it was mainly him asking a few questions about spells and potions and important locations. I never collaborated with him on any criminal act. That day, when I was at Hogsmede during Alumni Day, well, rather, after that, I cut ties with him completely. He wasn't resentful or anything. It was just quiet acknowledgement and understanding. I was the one that invited him there, so we could talk about this. "
"I'll believe you. But what was he doing there?"
"Who knows?"
A pause.
"I - it appears the information you relayed to me is not enough to warrant criminal charges," Neil remarked, sensing he had hit a dead end.
"Thank Merlin!"
"And even if it were... there are other cases of priority for me. This technically falls within the jurisdiction of MAGCUSA too. So, it's their call."
"Good to know."
"I ... I also wanted to ask you about the Sons of Walpurgis. How much do you know?"
"What do you want to know?
"Who led them?"
"Rodolphus Lestrange, along with Euphemia Rowle and a few others."
"What were they trying to do?"
"You know just as I do."
"Fine, what - do you know anything about Horcruxes?"
Lawrence flinched, but said nothing.
"I mean, my theory was that they were trying to make one and I'm trying to collect more information about them, so as to better understand the case."
"... They indeed were trying to. That was, after all, what Voldemort once did. And they're obsessed with emulating him."
"Right."
"But - my theory was that their leader was trying to make one."
Silence.
Something felt wrong about all of this. And his head was still buzzing. Sure, he had experienced jetlag and all the complications that came with traveling between time zones, but this felt peculiar. It was like his brain was trying to fend off a fly. As a fairly acclaimed Occlumens and a concerned Auror, he naturally constructed mind shields to prevent intrusions. That was how this felt like! An incursion. When your mind resists, it begins to hurt! But this was a skilled Legilimens, normally, it wouldn't have hurt this much - but Lawrence wasn't-
"What have you done to my brother?" Neil brandished out his wand at the man standing before him. "And stop trying to read my mind!"
"Took you long enough to figure out," came a smirk. Lawrence's brown eyes glinted green as his face slowly morphed into something morbidly familiar. It was one Neil had seen in all the Wanted Poster, old news articles and, well, in old photos his brother had during his Hogwarts days. The messy jet black hair was almost a dead ringer of Harry Potter, the Head Auror. "It's good to know my old man is still hale and hearty at the Aurors."
"Stop reading my mind, Albus Severus Potter! What have you done to Lawrence-"
"Relax, I intercepted your letter, changed it a bit - he's out on a date with his girlfriend. And he's not returning until 9," Albus said with a beam. "Do I look like a murderer or kidnapper to you?"
"Um, yes?" Neil realized he should probably feel afraid, but really, the only thing he could muster was infuriation.
"I only wanted to talk to you," Albus remarked, "Among many things, your brother may have - well - he never told me anything, but I read it all in his mind. I learnt from him that you were... working on a case about me."
"Yes and you are under arrest-"
His wand flew out of his hand.
"Relax Neil, I only wanted to explain things myself," Albus said as he caught Neil's wand and twirled it in his other hand long with his own. "Also, first rule as an Auror: fire first, then ask questions."
"That is a made up rule and technically not consistent with the rules of engagement-"
"Which do fuck all when you're faced with a runaway international criminal," Albus mused with a grin, "Don't worry though. I'm not really a runaway international-"
"Oh yes you are. And you know if I go missing - "
"Who said anything about you disappearing or going missing. If I wanted to kill you, I already would have done that."
"Thank you Albus, for not murdering me in my brother's office. Such generosity."
"Oh stop it. The Sons of Walpurgis were going to make a Horcrux and I stopped them, mainly by offing them one by one in methods that my father would have disagreed. Bless that man though. But the Aurors deemed that my actions warranted arrest, like there was anything else I could have done to stop a dark ritual. As for Hogsmeade, your brother called me in to basically cut ties and to fuck off forever, which I understood because I would have done the same thing. Then I broke into Hogwarts to check out their library and their potions cupboard - nothing of use came out of it though and I soon returned the books I borrowed. There. That's all the information that you need, Neil." Albus stared into him.
"Can you not do that?"
"Do what?"
"Read my mind?"
"Sorry, force of habit."
"You know I could just call MAGCUSA and my teammates -"
"Oh I don't think you'd want to, Neil. I don't want to add another pile of traumatized and obliterated Aurors to the list. Especially because I have no intention of harming you."
"So is that what you wanted to meet me for: to tell me that you stopped the Sons of Walpurgis by making a Horcrux, that my brother is innocent and you broke into Hogwarts that day for shits and giggles while someone pretended to be you that night and sneaked into the Department of Mysteries? Is that all?" Neil demanded.
Albus darkened at the mention of that. "I was the one that dumped him in front of your department, along with the stolen items."
"But not the scroll documenting Ministry secrets," Neil said.
"I burned it."
"What?"
"It contained information about Horcruxes - well, specifically what I just told you. No point in getting intellectual researchers of the future immersed in the pits of dark magic. Somethings are better left unknown."
"I see. I'm not sure I believe you-"
"You don't have to," Albus said nonchalantly.
"My head no longer hurts. Thanks for not trying to read my mind," Neil retorted.
"MacLaggen is not a bad guy," Albus remarked, "He's just very motivated and a little intense and hard on himself. Give him a chance on your team, at least."
"I said, don't read-"
"Oh picked that up way before. He used to have a thing with Cynthia, you know? They were always so close and intimate but never really got anywhere."
"On that I am left in the dark."
"She probably doesn't want you to know then. Which is fine. I understand people wanting to keep their emotional romantic lives a secret."
"Anything else? Can I get my wand back at least?"
"Of course not! I'll mail it over to you. It should arrive by tonight."
"What if I get ambushed and die?"
"During an apparition?"
Neil rolled his eyes.
"I'm not not messing with you, you know? On the contrary, I respect what you're trying to do. Setting yourself up straight, rectifying the murky history behind your family name by being its first member of the Aurors - quite opposite of what I managed," Albus said quietly.
"Your father still thinks highly of you," Neil finally managed to say after minutes of silence. "There's still a photo of you two on his office. I mean, sometimes he hides it when others are visiting but I caught him pulling it out of his drawer once."
It must have hit a nerve because Albus shut his eyes and took a deep breath. "Whatever."
"Your sister misses you too -"
"No she doesn't, she thinks I'm a no-good criminal who broke my father's heart."
"That's not true, she was really distressed when she thought you were the one at the Department of Mysteries attacking us. She shut herself up in her room all day and only came out when we found out it was an imposter. Look, now I know what happened. I can't force you to do anything but think carefully about your family. Whether you like them or not, whether you love them or not - they haven't managed to let you go. Now I must leave, have a good day." Neil stood up and headed for the door.
"Not so fast," Albus cut in front of him. "You can't tell Cynthia. She's going to try and arrest me against and get traumatized all over again and -"
"I'll stop her from doing it - focus on another case. I - I won't tell anyone what happened today. Except for Lily, she needs to know" - Albus winced -" but no one else. I promise."
"A promise without the Unbreakable Vow is futile."
"You need three people to make it work."
"Doesn't matter. It's not as if Lily is the type to spill the beans. Tell her - tell her that no matter what happens, I would never harm her, or mom, or dad, or James, or anyone in the family. And tell her to stop being so hard on herself. Deal?"
"Deal."
A/N: This chapter went way over the limit so I've decided to move a few planned things to next chapter, the first being Nigel at Hogwarts (I'm glad some like him!) and the Potter family.