March 11, 1996

Elihu's consulate office was still being unpacked, there were boxes in the corner and books resting peacefully on the shelves next to portraits of previous notable diplomats who were resting contently in their frames. Only diplomats who were praised as particularly wise and effective were honored with portraits of their likeness to support the current administration.

The embassy office was old, proud and believed they had nothing to gain from foolish advice.

Notably, there was no representation on the wall from 1809 through 1813.

There was a very significant issue involving the No-Maj White House and magical trade agreements.

Elihu Weathers had mentored me in politics and law, filling in any gaps that my Jack Graves did not fill at my dining room table as a child. My father was my first political teacher, Alex was my second but Weathers stood a cut above the two of them. He was honest, blunt, and willing to argue about things in good faith. He always knew when his temper was getting the best of him and was able to rein it in.

Senator Weathers filled in the many large areas where my father was lacking.

I took a seat in the empty chair across from his desk and looked at the pictures.

The one that caught my attention was the one of him and his wife Elaine. They were laughing for the camera. Elihu had his arm over Elaine's shoulders, her dark hair blowing in the wind as she whispered something in ear that made him laugh. They looked so happy.

I went to Elaine's funeral the previous summer. It was a quiet affair but it was hard to take my eyes off Elihu's face. He looked so lost.

The door behind me clicked open and Elihu stepped inside with a quick word to his secretary.

"Audrey! Glad to see you."

"Good to see you too."

Elihu moved to sit on the other side of the desk and sat in the large leather chair that was too big for him in some ways. It was bigger than the one from his old senate office. Perhaps to make him look more imposing to visitors.

"What brings you to my humble office?"

"I'll get to the point." My voice was firm and decisive, "what right to privacy do I have from MACUSA? I'm a legal adult, but I'm impacted by my father's choices like a child. How would I go about being hard to find for anyone looking for dirt and scandal?"

Elihu leaned back in his chair and played with his wedding band in thought, a habit I remembered from my days as his intern.

"Not much of a right to privacy. We have a free press. Your father wins the presidency, you become the only first child the press can get to because your younger brother is a baby, Annette is in school, protected by teachers and wards and laws, and only god knows where Alex is." He paused and looked at me thoughtfully. "Did you come here to look for him?"

I nodded, "I've had no luck."

"Then he's not a concern at this point."

I looked at Elihu with a raised eyebrow.

"He's so far off the map that he may as well be in another dimension. You have bigger, more immediate problems. My advice to you is to make yourself unplottable."

"I get owls from work, I need to be found in some capacity."

"Alright, we'll come back to that. You said you were living with your great-aunt?"

"Yes."

"Use her and her home as a front, I can leave her address on file as the best way to reach you while you move out to an apartment if you still want to do that?"

"I do! I found a nice place and I'm moving in a few months."

"That's great! I'll leave Lucinda's home as your address here, we'll say it was a filing error and you forgot to tell us."

That would be a start, and a good idea.

"The embassy does not give out residence details to the press or public, something I am sure you know." He gave me a wry smile.

My initial days in England involved me bothering the visa clerk about Alex. Elihu said that the poor woman still talked about it when we met for coffee.

"That should be enough to tie up the American press for a while if you keep a low profile."

"And the Auror protection? Can I leave a rejection letter with you for them?"

"You can, but should your father become president he will have the ability to overrule it."

"He won't." My voice was confident and steady.

Elihu gave me a stern look. "Your father does love you."

"If love means acting I spend my life as a sentient lamp for his image then I want no part of it."

"I know you have a complicated relationship, but parents may not always like their children, but they do care about them."

"Reading poetry again, boss?"

"No, just an observation," Elihu smiled. "

"If things go the way Cunningham thinks they are, even if your father loses, you may want to be ready to go back to the states."

I nodded. Harry Potter told that story with to much conviction to lie about it it was a consistent tale of tragedy, triumph and terror for things to come. Though I knew I would never return to the United States, I did not want to have that conversation with my old mentor right now.

"I'm not familiar with the laws regarding the privacy of the families of public figures. Would you be able to explain it to me?"

Elihu began to explain the concept and origin of the privacy laws for children of major government officials. He was very informative about the matter. I knew some of the historical context, but the nitty gritty details of the law were confusing to me due to my unfamiliarity with that topic. Many laws were full of silly details and obscure loopholes to get around a topic. Clearly this was one of them.

After an incident where a Scouror got a copy of the New York Ghost and kidnapped the child of the Vice President of MACUSA on her way home from visiting her No-Maj grandparents, a discussion was opened in regards to the right to privacy for politicians' families upon her retrieval. There was pushback to this idea if limiting the exposure of children, being a candidate with a family proved personal stability. So a bargain was struck after much money and bribes were exchanged behind the scenes. The law protects underage children from being photographed and stalked on school and private grounds, photographers are not allowed within five miles of Ilvermorny, or other magical schools, unless they have permission from the headmaster, principal or the parents. School events are the exception, such as Quadpot or dueling competitions. In short, we forced some ethics on journalists. A difficult task for many I assumed.

Laws for adult children were a little different. Under normal circumstances, they would get to live life on their own terms, but as the child of a world figure who is the head of one of the Great superpowers of the magical world, the president gets a say in who in his immediate family circle gets offered protection after the age of 17. The person in question apparently has the right to reject if they are deep in their private life, have jobs overseas, etc. But there was a loophole that allowed the president the right to overrule if it is felt that the person in question is in a dangerous situation or could become a pawn against MACUSA or the secrecy of the magical world. The immediate relative in question then needs to tell the assigned Aurors directly that they decline the protection of MACUSA in person under a spell of rejection of service. Much like a house elf.

"That's stupid."

"That's politics."

I slumped in the chair as Elihu handed me a glass of juice.

I was screwed.

Oo0Oo0

March 12, 1996

I knocked on the door to the Minister's office, stepping inside with the noise of acknowledgement. I had to time this meeting while both Percy and Eddie were out of the office running errands of some sort, I encouraged Eddie to take an early lunch and Percy went on to go look for some files. It was not difficult to clear out the room for a few minutes, but the rarity of unbothered time with the Minister of Magic was a precious commodity and I would need every moment I could gather as I planned for a life of hiding in closets and avoiding human contact.

Perhaps I could join a nunnery? I was not religious, but it would be the last place anyone would look for me.

"Minister," I opened the door and stepped inside, closing the door behind me with a soft click.

"Ah, Audrey!" Minister Fudge gave me a bright smile and put his papers on his desk. "Come in! Have a seat."

"Thank you," I took the offered seat and allowed my nerves to settle as the Minister gave me a paternal smile. "How's Elizabeth?"

Something in his countenance shifted, a genuine concern that he was quick to mask. "Fine! She'll be home in another week or so. She just needs some more rest."

I nodded, remembering how I was turned away at the visitors center after that incident with Broderick Bode. They did say they would screen the flowers before bringing them up to her room. I left a get well soon card as part of the package.

"Eliza wanted me to thank you for the flowers."

"I'm glad she likes them."

The conversation was casual for the moment, we had a quick discussion of the state of the greenhouse before I could breach the topic.

"Minister," I took a deep breath. "You made me an offer with regards to my father a few months ago."

"Yes, I did." He sighed, "I saw the paper, Weasley looked suspicious but I just reaffirmed to him that Graves was one of your many cousins like you asked. He seems satisfied with that. You don't really look too much like your father."

I favored Grandma Ophelia and my own mother, the only things I got from Jack were political acumen, and thick black hair. My eyes were a dark blue where Jack's were dark like coal. Jack Graves spoke like his mother had taught him, a very old school manner that he managed to convert to a heavier northern fast talk to Ophelia's upper-crust eastern tones from the turn of the century. I just sounded like I was from Albany.

"You mentioned the opportunity to take a transfer to another department if he was successful, is that still on the table?"

Minister Fudge paused and looked at me for a moment. "It is."

"The election is on July seventh, I need to know if that is something you will honor if needed."

"It would be, but my honest opinion is if he does win you might be better off staying here."

I tilted my head slightly. "What do you mean?"

"I hold most of my meetings in the conference room down the hall, meetings that you have no risk of sitting in on. If it's with the American embassy I'll get Smith to take notes or file if Weasley's out sick. Smith likes a change of pace occasionally."

I nodded in agreement. Eddie was a bouncy person.

"My point being that I have control of everything that happens on this floor. Who has permission to be here and where they go. Perhaps that could be something to consider."

It was. Important international meetings would not be held in the Minister's office. The conference room down the hall was big with pretty paintings, soft carpet and comfortable chairs. If I were a world leader I would prefer to show that off instead of my office.

"You may have a point."

Besides, I doubted they would be able to fill the secretary position in a hurry.

"We can talk more about it if it happens and make a plan you're happy with."

"Of course, Minister. Thank you for your time."

Oo0Oo0

March 22, 1996

Elizabeth Fudge died as she lived, quietly and out of the public eye.

The mood in the office was grim. The usual, polite smack talk of the office was tempered with silence and the rustling of parchment. The Minister asked for his meetings to be cancelled so he could spend the day with his wife and he did not come back to work for several days.

Elizabeth took a very sudden downturn after he arrived.

An invitation to her funeral arrived for myself, Tavish and Lucinda, along with Eddie and Percy. The mood was somber and reflective. The funeral would be after work, there was a mountain of paperwork with the Minister out and the three of us filling in the gap.

I took longer in the filing room than was necessary, crying quietly into a file drawer of financial reports, which a distant part of me noted was oddly appropriate.

Nobody said anything about my puffy eyes and swollen face when I collected myself and returned to my desk. Percy just brought me a glass of water and a box of tissues.

When he wasn't behaving like a toady, he was very nice.

We left the office early and a few somber statements of "See you in an hour," and went our separate ways.

Oo0Oo0

Lucinda and I walked into the funeral home, I was surprised by the crowd. There were all the people I had met at the parties Lucinda made me go to, all of them members of the Apothecary Society and Gardening Clubs that Elizabeth frequented and was active in. I saw Ministry officials talking quietly in a corner under oak archways and green drapes.

Una Irvine was adjusting some flowers in a vase nearby while speaking with Tavish who was nodding along with what she was saying with a stoic expression. Lucinda pressed against me and put her arm through mine to keep herself steady.

"This is a bigger turnout than I thought it would be," Lucinda said in a low voice.

She was right. There were at least a hundred people here. Many from the Ministry and some as representatives from the various consulate offices.

I nodded. "There are a lot of people here."

The only place Elizabeth could not escape her role as the Minister if Magic's wife was in death.

A chill ran through me as thoughts of my father ran through my head.

How ironic.

First children were part of the image a president wanted to project. He had two cute, well behaved younger children that he could parade out for events. A wife who was as dim as she was beautiful. Also two older children who had done very well at Ilvermorny.

There was a history of first children who led war efforts, who went to fight in times of war. I am sending my children to war because this fight is necessary. There is no choice because the enemy grows stronger every day. First children had access to powerful allies and remained pawns of their parents in many cases.

Theodore Fallow died while fighting in the Dragon unit during World War One. He inhaled poison and fell out of the sky with his dragon, landing in the ocean.

Westeria Rowan was a spy during World War Two, reporting on enemy movements and destroying their resources when able. She was captured, ransomed and chose suicide over surrender.

Keisha Grey led Union spy forces during the Civil War, stopping Confederate allies from taking hold of MACUSA headquarters in New York and destabilizing the No-Maj government in DC. She was the only one her mother trusted with the task.

Lucinda and I moved forward, her arm in mine. We gave the appropriate greetings to the Minister, who welcomed us with a watery smile before we moved to a pair of empty chairs nearby. The low clammer of chatter around us in a persistent hum.

"The decorations are lovely," Lucinda said blankly as she looked at the coffin at the front of the room. Her voice was lower than usual, even more controlled than usual. Forced really. "Liz would have liked it." Lucinda bit her lower lip before composing herself. "Death is a natural thing, but it's worse for the living."

I nodded in agreement, memories of my mother's death and funeral flooded my mind with bitter recollection.

Elizabeth had been so kind to me. She told me stories about my mom that even Lucinda didn't know. Stupid things about staying up late to talk about boys while on patrol, putting spiders in a mean girl's bag, silly things that meant something to me to hear, that my mother was a real person and at some point had a pretty good life.

I wiped my eyes, my throat was too tight to speak for the moment. Lucinda had said everything that needed to be said.

"Is anyone sitting here?" A familiar voice caught my attention and made me look up.

Percy's hair was freshly combed and his funeral robes were carefully pressed. He fixed the black tie at his neck with a nervous gesture.

"No, go right ahead." I motioned to the empty chair next to me and looked back at Lucinda. "Auntie, this is Percy Weasley, one of my coworkers. Percy, this is my great-aunt Lucinda Ainsley."

Percy and Lucinda shook hands before Percy took the empty seat next to me. Lucinda looked Percy over with her hawkish gaze as her glasses slid down her nose as they exchanged pleasantries. Lucinda gave me a scouring look. I shrugged, not entirely sure what exactly the problem was. Funerals were not exactly family bonding events and the chairs were filling up quickly.

The service soon began, the words fading to senseless as the finality came upon me. I knew Elizabeth securing this post had changed my life in some fashion. I felt more confident then I had back in the United States, I felt suitably challenged at my job and got along with my coworkers. Through Elizabeth I had begun to know my mother, not as the sickly woman in a failing marriage, but as a bright happy schoolgirl. Lucinda and Tavish filled in the rest of the gaps and I felt that she was more of a person than a vague figure now.

Death was a simple thing that brought up all kinds of questions for the philosophical, but philosophy was not something I could spare much interest in. Lucinda sniffled next to me and I took her hand, Percy's hands played with an handkerchief and he gave me a tired smile when I glanced at him. There was no right way to grieve or honor someone's life, but the pain of the moment would hopefully fade to a bittersweet joy.

Percy handed me his handkerchief when I started to cry.

Oo0Oo0

Author's Note: This chapter is going up early for a small, personal crisis. The family cat is is late stage kidney failure, we're not optimistic about the timeframe and I need to focus on what time I have left with my pudgy little buddy who likes to keep my toes warm while I wrote in the evenings. Basically I want my hands available to pet the little prince and my arms free for hugging if these are his last days. Pour one out for a real one folks.

I think that when we paint people with a brush or label of incompetence, while well earned in many cases, we can erase good qualities. I try to paint Fudge as a Neville Chamberlain of sorts, incompetent, easily swayed in his opinions by others, but having a real kindness to him at points in relation to his staff. In Audrey's case, Elizabeth softened Fudge up to the idea of making sure she stayed on staff in his office. While I think he believed she would be more useful than she really was, it made Elizabeth happy to have get to know her friend's daughter and maybe that was the final straw he needed.

On a happier note- I have Artbreeder images of the Graves family on my Tumblr, which is listed in my bio. Featuring Jack, Lucina, Alex, Audrey and Vanessa. I was just in that kind of mood and they turned out decent.