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Chapter 61

Tom woke up from a nightmare. It was the Dark Lord, he remembered the red eyes and the pale reptilian face. He sat up startled and looked to the side for Minerva. She wasn't there. He realized he was in London. It was Sunday just after the break. Severus and Hermione were back at the castle, as was Minerva.

He readied for the Ministry hours later. He dressed and left for the muggle entrance. Tom did not feel like apparating to the Ministry of Flooing. He took the tube and walked the rest of the way. Tom entered the atrium and boarded the lift. It was almost empty but for one wizard. The man was tall, lean and red-headed.

"Sir." He cleared his voice.

"Yes," Tom smiled softly, "how may I be of assistance?"

"Arthur Weasley sir. I work for the Misuse of Muggle artifacts." He offered his hand. Tom shook it. "Tom Snape."

"I know who you are sir. I have followed your career. I cannot begin to tell you how happy I am that you are running for Minister. You have my vote and my wife's vote. We cannot wait for you to take office. My wife and I. We are purebloods, commonly labeled as blood traitors. Your ideas and your laws have made us understand muggles more. I thought them clever but below us. I saw them as you would a precocious child. I have learned so much these past seven years. I cannot thank you enough. My Molly and I invested on muggle stock. We manage our home with muggle means. We have pureblood names but not a knut to our name. We have made a home because of your incentives to be more financially savvy through muggle means. I have three young boys and they're well fed thanks to you and your laws." Young Arthur rushed out.

Tom smiled genuinely happy, "thank you Arthur. Please swing by the office. I would love to see pictures of your Molly and the kids."

Arthur smiled and waved goodbye. Tom stepped out of the lift and greeted Mafalda his secretary. "No visitors Mafalda. Thank you."

He locked the door and sat behind his desk. His work was important. It was changing things. He worked for the fast twenty-five years to make things better for the Wizarding World. He effected change. He made wizards aware of muggle media, their livelihood, economy and technology. There was less secrecy. Muggleborn parents were more aware of the Wizarding World. There were courses for them. Pureblood wizards scoffed at his attempts but they were taking roots. He cared about his work and there was much more to do. Tom wanted muggleborn parents to visit parents. He created liaisons offices, much more than currency exchange. He wanted wizards to become interested in muggle history, medicine, trade. There could be significant gains with more integration and yet wizards still lagged behind many aspects. It was time to adopt more muggle wear. It was time to use more technology to get places. It was time to try muggle techniques in medicine.

Tom rubbed his face but the nomination was too far. Maybe his father was correct, maybe he needed to step back. Tom needed time to think. It was true, in many ways he left Minerva behind. There were just not enough hours in the day to complete his work and spend time with Minerva. She was busy as well. The school could consume her. She agreed to step back and take his arm on functions. She was by his side while trying to campaign. It would become worse if he were to be elected.

Tom spent three days trying to schedule time for Minerva and found himself in an utter mess. He received Arthur's visit the fourth day. The man made him realize the error of his ways.

Arthur swung by, "Sir, I hope I am not intruding."

Tom shook his head, "Arthur, I expected you sooner." Tom lied. He never forgot a face in his life. It was his saving grace.

"I see that you are busy. I can come back another day." Arthur began to shy away.

"Nonsense, come and have a seat. Let me take a look at those boys." Tom offered.

Arthur sat down and showed him a redheaded woman. She was short, quite pretty. There were two young boys, both red headed. "The oldest one is Bill. The little one is Charlie and this little baby is Percy. We want and girl. Molly says the next one will be a girl. We Weasleys make boys only. There hasn't been a girl in centuries."

Tom laughed at that. "How many children do you two want?"

Arthur smiled, "as many as Molly wants to give me."

"Well said my man." Tom liked Arthur a lot.

They talked about the ministry and work. Arthur was smart and eager to work. "The way I see it. We have to work together. We need more people interested in your changes. We need younger people sir. We have to be out with the old."

Tom mockingly frowned. "I am quite older than you my friend."

"Oh no sir. I do not mean you. Your ideas are fresh. I mean the old fashioned ways of thinking."

Tom nodded, "don't call me sir. Tom, my name is Tom."

"Let me ask you an honest question."

"Of course sir. I mean Tom." Arthur recovered quickly.

"Do you see us winning?" He asked the younger man.

Arthur nodded, "I do, but you will need to work with younger staff. Tom, the old ways do not work anymore. You need to delegate and have your cabinet meetings with immediate and long term goals. Organization will be key. Sir, you rely too much on the approval of the old guard. You don't need to. People like us, we are the majority. You may think that there are many purebloods that have the same way of thinking as their parents. Well, that could not be farthest from the truth. We think less conservatively, thanks to your work. You don't have to win the old fogies. You have to win all of us over."

Tom spent years trying to change the old warlocks. It dawned upon him that he could not change them, just as Minerva predicted. He did not however realize that his initiatives created a new type of wizard, not one so quick. He was instrumental in creating wizards like Weasley. Pureblood but not bigoted.

"Arthur, come and work with me." Tom stated.

Arthur's mouth dropped, "Sir, I wouldn't fit in."

Tom smiled, "you have good ideas. I need wizards like you. I need you to help me work on more initiatives. Think about it. I expect your answer in two days."

The younger man nodded, "what would I be doing?"

"Promoting our laws. You would help me and my office getting the word out. We need to integrate more to muggle practices." Tom said. "Think about it Arthur. How long have you been in Misuse of Muggle Artifacts?"

"Since I graduated from Hogwarts." Arthur replied, "Sir, I like my job."

"I have no doubt that you do but I feel you would like working with us more. You are driven Arthur. I can see it; you are a hard worker too. I asked about you." Tom was sure that Arthur would be a good addition to his office.

Arthur stayed quiet, "Sir. I have to go back. Thank you for your time." Arthur stood up and shook his hand.

"Tom. No more sir. We will work very well together." He said and saw him to the door.

Tom finished his work at the office and flooed home. He found the Hammersmith home empty. He looked around and decided that it was enough. He wanted Minerva by his side. He missed her terribly. It was Severus' birthday too. He forced himself to think of the boy as Severus. It was easier that way. Tom thought back to the times where he slipped. He flooed to Hogwarts. He sent Severus' gift earlier that day. Minerva and him bought him a watch. It was tradition when wizards became of age. He also bought them tickets to see Manchester play against Liverpool. They would go tomorrow. Tom was supposed to pick him up tomorrow afternoon and return him on Sunday. Tom would not wait. He flooed to Minerva's office.

He found that his wife was not in her office. Tom looked around. She had her books and the ginger newts she liked. He ate two and waited for her to come back. Minerva must be doing her rounds. He patiently waited until she came through her office.

She smiled at him, "Darling, I didn't expect you until tomorrow evening." She kissed his lips gently. Tom kissed her deeply. "How about you show me to your quarters?"

Minerva kissed him back. "Are you staying the night?" She asked as she tried to remove his tie and waistcoat.

Tom tried to remove her teaching robes. "We can play teacher and naughty school boy."

Minerva frowned, "have you been naughty Mr. Snape?"

"Very much so professor." He said, turned on by her stern face.

Minerva kept up the charade until they were in bed. "I cannot call you Mr. Snape. It makes me think of Severus."

Tom kissed down her neck, "that is the last person you need to be thinking of now my love." He played laughed when she moaned.

Tom readied her some more and then entered her gently. Minerva grabbed the nape of his neck. He thrust into her and drove into her until they were both spent. Tom smiled and gently kissed her shoulder.

"You should spend Fridays with me." Minnie said it wistfully. It was as if she knew the answer. He needed to say no. Tom needed to work on his campaign now more than ever. He needed to keep working and court the youth as Arthur put it. Tom made a decision then. "I'll do you one better. I will stay with you all weekend. Friday to Sunday evening starting next week, provided of course that the headmaster accepts that his deputy headmistress will have wild sex fests all weekends until term ends." He said with a sleepy voice. He was tired and always slept better with her by his side.

"Do you mean it?" Minerva asked while she scratched his back. Tom smiled to the side, "of course I mean it. I've decided to take advice from two wise men."

Minerva smiled, "who? Anyone I know?"

Tom nodded, "two of your students. Severus Snape and Arthur Weasley."

His wife laughed, "Severus is quite immature. He turned Peter Pettigrew into a ferret the other day. I had to threaten him with minding and guiding first years to make him turn him back. Arthur on the other hand. Oh, he was such a nice young man."

"Did you know he's married?" Tom said, his sleepiness forgotten.

"No. who did he marry? Don't tell me? Molly Prewett." Minerva said.

"I think so. He said he married a Molly and he has three kids. Three boys, Bill, Charlie and Percy." Tom parroted, "I've offered him a post with me. I need more wizards like him. Did you know he invested in muggle stocks?"

Minerva smiled, "I knew he'd be the one. Arthur was always very enthusiastic about muggle studies."

"He said something very smart. I need wizards like him. He told me that I had his vote. He made me realize that I am targeting the old fogies. I should be targeting him and others like him. They are my people, not Orion Black or Barty Crouch. I need young men. I need the heirs. I need Lucius Malfoy, I need the Prewett brothers, the Black sisters, the Mulcibers, the Black boys, all those who grew up with the new laws, even if they are reticent, they can be taught." Tom said fervently.

"It sounds like campaigning but for the younger crowd. I know you, why would you want to spend weekends here?" Minerva asked him openly.

He rolled over and brought her close to him, "I happen to love you very much. I know this past year was trying for us. I don't want us to stop being happy."

"I cannot ask you to stop your dream. Tom, you mustn't stop on my account." She said quickly.

"I am not. I am switching gears it's all." He said while nuzzling her hair.

Tom was in very high spirits the following day. Severus was ready and by the Great Hall. It was the first time that young Severus was early for anything.

He noticed that it was another first for Severus. He wore a red Manchester United jersey. Tom grinned. "Where is your jersey? You cannot go to the field looking like that." The boy said.

Tom opened his robe and revealed his jersey. "Don't you look chipper. Did you like your birthday gifts?"

Severus nodded, "I did, thank you." He continued to grin like an idiot.

"Off we go." Tom said and they walked to Hogsmeade before apparating to the stadium.

Tom laughed when Severus cursed. He still had a filthy mouth. They ate chips, drank beer and chanted with the rest of the crowds. It was a great match. "They all talk about quidditch. This is far better." Severus said when ManU scored a goal.

Tom agreed and chanted alongside him. They stayed in London that night. Severus and him ate more greasy food. "Minerva has me on a diet."

"I won't tell her." Severus swore.

They watched the telly for a bit. "I'm off to bed." Severus waved goodbye.

Tom rubbed his eyes and headed for his room as well. It was a good weekend. He had a plan and for the first time in a year, Tom felt light hearted.