Embers of Ruin - The Potter Chronicles
The Auror Department offices had never been so busy in all the time Robbards had served as head of the Auror Department, not even during the first war with Voldermort. Today, however, the offices were awash with wizards and witches in at least half a dozen different Auror robes, all chatting amongst each other, for today was the first day of the intercontinental training and review exercise. Since the incident in Paris the exercise difficulty hhad been increased considerably in preparation for future raids, so everyone was nervous what to expect.
Robbards stood by the main meeting chamber reserved for only the most important guests or crisis meetings. He glanced at his pocket watch and stashed it guests were due into the room in about five minutes.
He looked over his group of Aurors he had selected for the specialist training trials, naturally one Harry Potter was up for review, he had received a lot of attention from the international press ever since the attack in Paris. The man in question sat on the corner of his partner's desk and chuckled about something whilst Watson was eating a … Was that a custard cream? Robbards musing of the mystery biscuit was broken when Potter's chuckles turned into a coughing fit. What on earth was so funny? Beside Potter, Mr Wealsey was studying one of the biscuits as though it offended him. Robbards personally never understood the British importance of a biscuit, other than the fact that serving a broken biscuit was an offence akin to putting the milk first when making tea.
"Monsieur Robbards?"
He shook himself. Before him stood Suzanne, the head of the French Auror Department. When she had snuck up on him? Righting himself, he extended his hand in greeting.
"Madam Bernard, welcome to London! I trust you and your Aurors are being well looked after?" They shook hands while he assessed her. He had never met her in person before, only exchanged letters in recent months with the intercontinental taskforce gaining traction. Potter's description was apt.
"Thank you, it has been sometime since I was in Britain due to… recent events." Her words were slow and measured, likely in some effort to not offend him.
"Well, yes. We did have a spot of bother for a while here." He smiled back, if a Dark Lord slaughtering indiscriminately and taking over the ministry could be called "a spot of bother". He gestured for her to enter the meeting room. "I suspect Mr Struff will be arriving shortly. The Italians and Spanish heads have declined to attend due to following up leads personally within their own respective countries."
"So much for a grand standing of European nations," Suzanne quipped as she entered the room.
"The Spanish and Italian magical populations are far smaller than most, their Auror forces aren't much in terms of size, nevertheless they have promised to cooperate in intelligence sharing at least."
"That is something, we are at war ."
"War?" Robbards blinked and almost gaped at her. . Britain had just been through a war, what happened in Paris couldn't compare to the. It was a tragedy but hardly the set for war. In fact, had it not been for Potters rather moving and powerful speech in the Wizengamot the week before, Britain would've likely been reluctant to lend operational support for the current taskforce. It was one thing to share intelligence, it was another to offer Auror support.
"Yes monsieur, the minister has declared the attack on the French ministry an act of war, though it was always going to be as such. The remaining Pureblood nobles demand justice and vengeance, and our... esteemed minister wanted to keep his position. So… We are at war." She gave a very French shrug of her shoulders.
"With whom? A band of terrorists?" This was concerning, the French were quick to act when roused but this seemed over the top, even for them.
"Not a band," Suzanne answered.
Before he could press her further about the cryptic remark, a knock came at the door.
"Come in," he called, leaning back in his chair.
Bell, his receptionist, peeked her head into the room.
"Mr Struff for you, sir."
"Ah, yes, send him in." Finally, they could get down to business.
His German counterpart entered the room and nodded in greeting.,
"Apologises for my delay to you both," he said as he took a seat at the table.
The corners of Robbards' lips twitched upwards in a welcoming smile.
"I'm surprised, the Germans are known for their punctuality, I'd expected you to arrive before us all," Suzanne said casually as she pulled files from her bag.
"Sorry to disappoint, madam. I, however, see you haven't let down the French for being a snob."
Robbards held his breath, sweet Merlin, this had started something awful.
The French Auror put her files on the table with pronounced gentleness and turned to Struff. For two painful moments she stared at Struff with a blank face.
Robbards held his breath.
A wide smile appeared on her lips.
"A gentleman as usual, how is the wife?"
"Oh you know, the norm. Wishing I would hang up my hat after all these years, your daughters?".
"Doing well thank you, the eldest is in her final year so is sending me numerous letters complaining about her exams"
"Oh to be young and naive again"
"Indeed"
Robbards observed the conversation with interest, it seemed whilst Britain had kept itself isolated for so long under the fudge premiership Europe had no such policy.
"My apologies Mr Robbards, Suzanne and I are old friends, survived a few hairy scraps together" Struff chuckled as he pulled a quill from his coat.
"One or two yes, but yes we should be on to business" Suzanne quipped. She began handing out sheets of parchments out to both of the men who scanned its contents. "As I was saying, this isn't a small band of rouge extremists, before the attack in Paris my aurors had been keeping an eye on the growing anti-pureblood movements, and they began to hear murmurings of a forming of a group, an organisation"
"How long have you known about this?" Robbards asked, alarmed anyone would sit on such information.
"About six months"
"Six months! No action was taken at that time?" Struff asked, his eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. Robbards was glad his german counterpart questioned this, Britain was perhaps not in the best position to lecture another nation about sitting on a threat.
"I tried" she gave Struff a frustrated look, her eyes nearly rolling. "We did not have concrete evidence of any activity and also no real leads to follow, you couple that with the … tense political climate in France and you find red tape everywhere"
"I can empathise with politics getting in the way of your job madame" Robbards agreed, all too often the ministry pushed aurors away from cases, commonly very powerful old pureblood families who were being investigated were suddenly untouchable.
"I can imagine'' she cast him a knowing look before looking back to her papers. "However, the Paris attacks did yield a lot of information. Firstly, my aurors inform me that the attack in the city was much larger than the one in the ministry, it worked as a distraction for the smaller force hitting the ministry, I have concluded whoever was behind this attack works or is affiliated with government, possibly ex-auror"
"Your evidence for such a conclusion?" Struff asked, leaning forward.
"They knew how to gain a full scale auror response for one, secondly one figure at the city attack site was scene dueling easily with my aurors and yet did not kill a single one, only incapicated them" she paused for a moment "Thirdly, the guard posts in the ministry were overrun within seconds, all of them, someone with thorough knowledge if the complex must've planned this"
"Any ideas on who it might be, how many ex-aurors do you know of that have anti pure-blood agendas?" Robbards asked.
Suzanne shifted in her seat and averted her eyes.
"None"
"None?"
She took a breath. "Only purebloods are allowed to become aurors in France, extensive vetting is carried out on any applicants to ensure this"
"This is discriminatory beyond measure!" Robbards stuttered out. It was a wonder France had remained unscathed until this point, Britain had its shameful past with this sort of thing but not on that level.
"I agree, however this is little I can do in my position, I am out voted in this matter"
"I see"
Struff cleared his throat, sensing the subject was rapidly changing to something that would not help them in their cause.
"So, what is the next course of action?"
…
"George, can you pass me the Preston arrest report?" Harry asked, not looking up from the agenda they had all been given that morning for the upcoming next three days.
"Sure, still can't believe the bastard tried to bite me you know"
He snorted at the memory of a drunken wizard trying to chomp down on his partner's robe covered arm.
"Perhaps he thought you were tasty? Truth be told I don't mind the small cases, gives us a break until the next big one kicks off eh"
"Maybe, my grandma always said I looked good enough to eat … A little weird, right?"
"Not coming from a grandparent I believe, anyone else yes. Anyway that report?"
"Yeah hang on, its .. ah right here, under the custard cream plate" George leaned to the edge of his desk, picking up the said plate of biscuits and pulled out the report in question.
Harry reached over and took the report, coughing quietly as he put the paper on his desk.
"Flipping hell do you dust your desk George" Harry coughed.
"Course, don't want a dusty biscuit"
"Biscuits post workout?"
"Still got a small six pack I'll have you know"
"Alright you two with your six packs, i'm quite happy with my keg" Ron called over from the other side of the pairs desk. When both Harry and Ron passed their auror exams they were delighted to have been given desks opposite each other.
"Is the mrs though Wealsey" George winked at the use of the red-heads surname.
"She wasn't complaining last night mate no"
"Urgh mate come on, I've known Hermione since I was eleven I don't need the image of you two" Harry groaned.
"Custard cream to make it better," George offered Harry the plate.
"Not this time" he politely waved the plate away.
"More for me!"
Harry shook his head and smiled at his partner's antics before the hurried clipping of heels of the wooden floor reached his ears, turning around he saw Bell, Robbards receptionist walking over to a group of pale blue clad figures at the front desk. He instantly recognised Suzanne Bernard at the head of the group.
"Oh, frenchies are here lads" Johnson swirling on his chair. "Reackon any of them are fit?"
"Maybe, not sure they like pasta stained robes though mate" George quipped.
"Piss off George, Lisa will come round im sure"
"Hate to tell you Johnson I think you'll be waiting a while" Harry chimed in.
"Oh yeah"
"Afraid so, Daph keeps me clued in mate" he replied, earning a light chuckle from Ron and George.
"Hello Monsieur Potter" came a soft voice from behind him.
He turned to the familiar sound to see Annabelle standing behind him with her hands clasped together.
"Annabelle! It's nice to see you again, I didn't think you'd be coming along to the training event?"
"I requested to come, with everything that happened in Paris I wanted to help, see an end to this evil" her jaw tight as she referenced the events in Paris, Harry imagined that aid was only one side of the reason she wanted to join the operations, revenge being the second.
"I expected no less, we will find whoever did this" he offered back, before jumping suddenly. "Where are my manners, Annabelle this is .." he went to turn to George who was staring at the French auror in amazement with a custard cream half in his mouth. "This is George, you briefly met in Paris'' he gave his partner a look of exasperation.
"Nice to see you again George" Annabelle smiled. The young auror seemed to snap out of his stupor and gave a slight shake of the head.
"Indeed, and under much better circumstances"
"This is Ronald Weasley" Harry chimed in, eager to move on from George's slip.
"Pleasure" the redhead offered.
"And this is.." Harry went to introduce Johnson but the man beat him to it.
"Mark Johnson at your service"
"Annabelle .."
"Beautiful name .. for a beautiful Lad-"
"No!" Harry, George and Ron called in perfect timing.
"What?" Mark partly scoffed in offence.
"Ignore our colleague, if it has a pulse he can't help himself" Ron spoke up, shaking his head at Johnson.
"Some of us aren't married Wealsey"
"We were all at the ball mate, we know you aren't married" George winked, earning bellowing laughter from Ron and a ball of parchment thrown by Mark.
"We have a few of his type back in France, I can handle it" Annabelle smiled softly at Harry under the loud antics of the three aurors. "Perhaps you can show me around at lunch? Afterall I will be here for a few days it would be helpful to know my way about"
"I have plans for lunch with my wife but I can show you around later?" Harry offered, there was a shift of an emotion behind the French auror's eyes that he barely caught before she masked her face with a smile.
"That'll be lovely, until later Harry. Pleasure to meet you all" she addressed the others before walking back to her group.
"Bloody hell she's keen" Ron laughed.
"I'll say" George chimed in, reaching for another biscuit.
"What?" Harry asked, earning a scoff from Mark.
"Come of it Potter, girl wants to have her legs wrapped around you-"
"Mate, in the jar" George cut in and rattled a glass jar half filled with sickles.
"For what! you are all thinking it"
"Yes but none of us said it" Ron smirked.
"You sure not just projecting George? Cat had your tongue back there" Harry countered, as Mark grumbled as he put a sickle in the jar.
"I didn't remember her being that fit"
"There were more pressing issues," Harry offered.
"We will go with that, anyway how do you reckon Daphne will take to a Frenchie going after you?"
"Firstly she's not after me and secondly I doubt Daphne would care" Harry laughed.
"Oh I don't know mate, you know how Daphne gets!" Ron gave him a knowing glance and smirk. Harry knew exactly what his redheaded friend was referring to, he knew his wife had a hot jealous streak in her. Those articles back when they first began their relationship officially and returned for their final year did a number on her patience. Whilst Daphne never fretted losing him she had gotten sick of all the articles trying to pull them apart.
"Um, indeed" he murmured.
"Anyhow, when do I get to take my goddaughter out? Hermione wants to take her to the natural history museum on our next trip" Ron thankfully moved the conversation along.
"I think you have her this Sunday?" he replied.
"Do we? Merlin that's come around quick" Ron looked surprised.
"You know I can hear Hermione's eye roll from here mate" George chuckled. Harry joined in, it was no secret Hermione like things just so and her life was on a schedule and by extension so was Ron's.
"Don't need to tell me George, I feel the eye rolls" Ron muttered as he flicked open a report.
The group snorted in amusement before returning to their files.
…
"Very nice of your mother to take Jess tonight, is it because its your story night?" Harry smirked after swallowing some of his chicken and white wine pasta dish. His wife gave him a scandalised look from behind her wine glass.
"You wound me Harry, I believe I do the princess and the hippogriff voice quite well!" she countered, adjusting her voice to that of a child like upper class girl when expressing the title of the book, causing Harry to choke on his pasta. An action his wife found little sympathy for if her laughter was anything to go by.
"Wow if thats the voice Daph no wonder she prefers me"
"Carry on Mr Potter and you won't get your surprise tonight" she winked, the left corner of her lip twitching upwards. Harry paused, he liked the idea of a surprise.
"Surprise? What is the occasion-"
The sound of nails on wooden floor cut him off as Cassie came skidding through the kitchen, yapping as Ellie was not far behind snapping at the young rough collies tail. The ginger and white pup ran to Daphne and pressed herself to his wife's leg as Ellie planted herself by Harry and glared at the puppy.
"What has gotten into you two?" Harry demanded. Cassie yapped, her under-developed high pitched bark at Ellie who grumbled in annoyance.
"Have you been annoying Ellie again, little miss?" Daphne cooed and scratched behind the young puppy's ear.
"Nipping her tail again likely" Harry chuckled, Ellie was very sensitive about her tail and Cassie was practicing her herding technique on said area, much to the annoyance of the older dog.
"They will sort it out between themselves i'm sure" Daphne smiled and dug her fork back into her pasta as Cassie settled down and grumbled, never taking her dark eyes off Ellie who was resting her head on Harry's knee.
"You know Ellie, she holds a grudge"
"She gets it from her father" Daphne quipped as she looked out of their floor to ceiling windows that welcomed the first signs of the high summer fading light. He would've admired the way the sun almost radiated off her high cheek bones if he wasn't half offended.
"Since when do I hold a grudge?" he asked in mock offence.
"Do you recall your disdain for all things Slytherin from years one to six?" she smirked.
"A certain few Slytherins maybe" he defended.
"Keep telling yourself that love, you'll believe it someday" she was in a playful mood it seemed. "Anyway, fill me up Potter" she asked and slid her wine glass across the smoothed out oak table top, into his waiting fingers.
"Oh I intend to. But first I'll top up your wine" he winked, earning an exaggerated gap from his wife.
"Not in front of the children Harry!" she cried in faux horror. Looking down at Ellie resting her head on his lap, she wore what could only be assumed as unimpressed for a dog. Meanwhile Cassie's head was tilted at a painful looking angle as she assessed him.
"You reckon they can understand us?"
"Partly, you're the dog expert. Propper witches and wizards don't keep hounds. Improper and all that"
"And toads are propper?"
"Touche"
Harry passed back her wine glass and stood up from his chair.
"Fresh air on the decking? I'll never tire of the sea you know?" Daphne smiled at him fondly, he thought that flying was his favourite pastime, but now sitting on the decking of his garden overlooking the Cornish sea brought him a quiet calm he never thought possible.
"Of course"
They both opted to simply sit on the steps of the decking that led down to the lush lawn below. Ellie trotted past them and began to sniff about her kingdom. Daphne settled next to him and gently rested her head on his shoulder, both just enjoying the calm and the sound of the waves in the distance.
There was a sudden blur of orange beside them as Cassie lunged onto the grass and resumed her attempts at herding Ellie, earning laughter from the couple. The sound of the breeze and waves was joined by the happy bark of a puppy and the scolding of the elder dog.
"Seems Ellie has met her match for the queen of sass position" Daphne chuckled as Ellie darted left with all the grace of her breed whilst Cassie stumbled and rolled clumsily across the grass before bounding up and continuing the chase.
"No, Ellie will always be queen, Cass is always going to be a princess"
"You may be right there" Daphne sighed gently, earning a gentle nudge from her husband.
"Whats up?"
"Its nothing, I feel daft for missing Jess. She would be running around with them right now"
"Um, I feel it too, but its important that we have our own time. Plus Grandma and Grandad Greengrass spoil her rotten" he chuckled.
"Speaking of father, he stopped by the office earlier today"
"Did he now, what did he want?" Harry asked, knowing full well he was likely informing his daughter of what had happened in the Wizengamot session that morning.
"Order!" bellowed the speaker as there was uproar all around the chamber at the words of Lucas Wittledown, one of the new muggleborn members of the Wizengamot. Whilst Harry welcomed a more inclusive government, this chap and his small band of supporters were not helping the muggleborn cause. A late thirties gentleman, forced into the muggle world after his Hogwarts education because the magical world would not employ him expressed his resentment quite forcefully. "I said order!" the speaker bellowed louder this time, following up his command with a cannon sounding blast from his wand, silencing the chamber.
Harry caught the eye of his father-in-law two seats over, frustration evident on his features.
"This is the governing house of the British Magical World, I will not have it descend into the petty arguments like children" the speaker fixed his glare around the room. "Minister, if you would like to respond"
"Thank you Mr Speaker" Kingsley's voice boomed as he rose from his seat and stepped forward. "Mr Speaker the right … Honourable gentleman, are you insinuating that these poor souls deserved death? That our French allies should stand alone in this matter?"
Murmuring flittered throughout the chamber, whilst naturally all who had any form of heart condemned the attack in Paris, there was some who were very reluctant to lend aid to the French.
Kingsley sat back down, one of his front bench allies leaning in to whisper something. All the while Wittledown jumped from his chair.
"Mr Speaker, the minister seeks to put words in my mouth, I did not suggest that these individuals deserved to die. Merely that the systemic discrumination against muggleborns in France brought that fate upon them, innocents paid the price"
Harry doubted the sincerity of the man's use of innocence. Judging by the scowling group that sat around him they likely felt no grief at the slaughter of innocence.
"Mr Parsons, you may address the minister" the speaker called.
"Thank you Mr Speaker, would the Minister like to put forth the justification for British forces being involved in affairs on the continent, for they did not lend us aid during our time of crisis"
Harry smirked, it was well put. He had it on good authority that Mr Parsons was firmly in favour of lending aid to France, the way he phrased his question would allow Kingsley to play to inflaming British pride if nothing else. The number of "here here" calls indicated too many sat on the fence for a majority.
Kingsley rose.
"My good friends, whilst it is true that we stood alone against the death eater threat you need to remember what position we were in" he began, his eyes searching all in the room. "Our government is a puppet to a dark lord, our borders sealed. No aid came because none was requested, when we did not know friend from foe what good would've help rendered?
Harry leaned forward, a few nods could be seen about the room.
"But through overwhelming odds we overcame it, we rose again and now our friends across the channel request our help. Do we turn our backs? Do we embody what all think of us? A nation past its prime? Or my good friends, do we show the world what the British do best? We stand against oppression, no matter the threat facing us we do not falter and an attack on our friends is an attack on us!" his impassioned speech concluded and the nods and agreements rose, until half the chamber was cheering in agreement.
Harry exchanged a look with his father-in-law again and smiled. Give Kingsley his due, he knew how to rile up a crowd.
"Order! Order! Mr Wittledown, you may address the house"
"Mr Speaker, I am curious if the members cheering in this house would be so arm in arm if it were muggleborn families that were slaughtered? As the minister says we owe nothing to the French and yet because a handful of purebloods were killed we now want to help the very regime who oppose my people!"
Harry's hands balled into fists. For months this man and his group had done nothing but seek to sow division, demanding that all pureblood families pay damages to muggleborns regardless of the side they fought. Equality was not on this man's mind. He raised his wand and lit the end gold, a request to be the next address. The speaker nodded in his next direction, amongst the murmurings of anger at the muggleborns latest stance.
"Mr Harry Potter"
The chamber fell into utter silence. Until now Harry had only made one address and that was his opening day in the chamber. Other than that he had silently voted and kept himself quiet. Until now.
"Mr Speaker, may I request to address the house from the floor?" this drew whispers, if a member of the Wizengamot addressed from the centre it tended to be for grand moments.
"Does anyone wish to contest this request?" The speaker called.
Nothing. Few would dare to challenge the nations savouir on this request.
"The floor is yours Mr Potter"
He walked down the narrow steps between the rows of benches, giving his father-in-law a nod as he past, the Greengrass patriarch had a hint of conosity in his eye.
As he reached the floor he came to the centre and stood before the speaker.
"Mr Speaker I am not a man of words, nor am I a willing fighter. However today, I have had the displeasure of sitting in this chamber and listening to the petty exchanges of political point scoring. I speak to you all today as someone who witnessed the devastation in Paris" he turned, looking at the many faces in the room. "I saw parents laying dead over their children, dying in vain to save their child. A saw a man dead mere inches for his wife who lay dead with a child in her arms and another in her womb. I saw children lay lifeless on the cold marble floors, who not minutes before had been enjoying a family fun day with their parents, their siblings and their friends. Lives snuffed out like a candle in the wind".
As he met the members eyes, most lowered their gaze, some looked horrified, others held sorrow and some even had the shining of tears.
"I tell you what I did not see that day, I didn't see purebloods, Half-bloods or muggleborns" his throat felt tight but his voice didn't wavier. "I saw fathers, mothers, sons and daughters. Human beings. Some in this chamber would reduce them to ammunition to fight petty agenda's, and to those I say shame on you"
"Potter is bais, his wife is a pureblood for gods sake, his father-in-law sits in this very chamber!" One of Wittledown's group screamed.
"Order!"
"Perhaps my words didn't quite hit the mark?" Harry called up to the muggleborn group. "Perhaps a visual?"
Harry closed his eyes, his mind searching his memories of that night. Fire, marble, death, the trickle of the fountain. The sounds gasps and cries of alarm reached his ears, a sure sign his spell had worked. His eyes opened and there in the centre of the wizengamot chamber lay a recreation of that night. The broken fountain, the burning french flag .. the dead.
"What is the meaning of this!" someone called from the stands.
"This is what happens when we divide, this is what happens when we fail to learn from our mistakes. My right honourable friend claims he wants equality for muggleborns which I strongly agree with, however his methods only seek to divide a nation that is trying its utmost to heal!" Harry allowed his voice to carry. "Too many people gave their lives so that we could have a chance at peace, if we continue down this path and the scene you see before you will repeat time and time again. Will we be a nation who stands aside and lets this happen, or will we root out those responsible?"
"It was reckless of me" Harry muttered as he sipped his wine.
"Maybe if you were anyone else, love, but it worked. Britain joins europe in a joint effort to root out those sick bastards" she looked at him fondly. "Because of you".
"Don't be too proud yet, we've no idea what we are walking into, save for the fact whomever we are hunting has no concerns about killing children" he replied, drinking the last of his wine.
"I'm always proud, but less gloomy thoughts I have a surprise for you remember" a sly smirk gracing her lips.
"Oh, I am allowed it now?"
She nodded and jumped up, walking into the kitchen.
"Join me in the bedroom in about five minutes" she called over her shoulder.
"What about the dog-" Harry started before internally screaming at himself to shut up. He looked back to the garden and saw both Cassie and Ellie fighting over a stick. "They will be fine" he chuckled to himself and snuck away, eager to receive his surprise.
...
Thanks to Dorothea for the edits on the first part of the chapter, I am giving my beta a break for a while! Chapter four is in the works, we had a spot of Covid in the family so my attention was drawn away with that.
Enjoy.
P.s - For anyone sending me PM abuse over "A Simple Act" being updated, kindly jog on. I'm not paid to do this and I do not owe any individuals!