Sep 4
When the
Roses Bloom
Again - In
Bloom In Bloom
It had been some time since Arcturus had been in the
Wizengamot chambers. Although the war had ended close to
two months prior, Lord Parkinson had continued to remain as
his proxy.
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The Lord Black had been making up for lost time with his wife
and sons for the most part but had also frequented the continent
to assist with the much-needed relief work in the wake of
Grindelwald's occupation.
Many others had done the same, the thought of simply returning
home whilst the work was ongoing not sitting right with most.
Today, however, he found himself as an honoured guest of
wizarding Britain where he and several others were to receive a
commendation for their part in the war.
For Arcturus, shaking hands with the Minister whilst being
presented with a small piece of metal seemed ridiculous when
such an insignificant trinket represented such upheaval, violence,
and loss.
Nevertheless, he was proud to be recognised along with those
that had become his brothers in a way that none who had not
experienced war could understand.
Seated to his left on a dais that had been built for the ceremony
was Charlus, and next to him Harry who was doing all he could
to not draw any attention to himself.
Arcturus shook his head.
Not a pair of eyes had left the man since he had arrived.
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Next to Harry was Petr Sokolov whose expression was guarded
as his eyes swept across the public gallery, and the area filled with
members of the press.
On Arcturus's right was Yaxley and Gilbert, the latter unable to
look more out of place if he tried.
Arcturus imagined the only time he had visited one of the
chambers in the depth of the Ministry was when he had been on
trial for one of his many misdemeanours over the years.
The men sat in silence, waiting for the Minister to begin the
ceremony.
It was surreal being here, and Arcturus was still adjusting to
civilian life.
With Melania and his children to keep him grounded, he was
not suffering the lingering effects of spending so long in mortal
peril, but that didn't mean everything had gone smoothly.
He tried to not focus on his woes, but it was not easy to do so
when one in particular occupied his mind so often, something
that as much as he wished to, he couldn't simply ignore.
Flashback
Lord Parkinson had been thorough in his overseeing of the Black
family affairs in Arcturus's absence. The man had made some
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intelligent investments on his behalf and ensured the f inancials had
been kept up to date.
He had even gone as far as to document the main talking points and
required votes of each Wizengamot session, something Arcturus was
grateful for.
Parkinson would be rightly compensated for his invaluable assistance.
Pushing the stack of parchment he had been poring over aside,
Arcturus rubbed his eyes and checked the clock in his study.
He had inadvertently worked through lunch, and he took his leave of
the room to f ind his wife.
Whilst he had been away, Melania had remained living with her
parents, but now that he was back, their marriage could truly begin as
it should be.
Orion and Cygnus each had their own rooms now courtesy of the
efforts of Elgar, and until Dorea and Charlus were married, the
woman was living with them.
She doted on her nephews and Arcturus had no doubt that she would
be a wonderful mother, much like their own before she had been taken
from them too soon.
"Why didn't you send for me?" he asked Melania who was playing
with Orion in the main living room of the house as he entered.
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"Because your attention would have still been on your work," his wife
replied, smiling as Arcturus kissed her on the cheek.
Arcturus snorted, unable to deny the accusation.
"Well, I'm done for the day," he declared.
"Good, then you can feed Cygnus."
Arcturus smiled as he retrieved his younger son from his Moses basket
and cradled him in his arm.
From his dark hair, pale complexion, and grey eyes, the boy was a
Black through and through.
Arcturus chuckled as Cygnus stared up at him curiously, though his
eyes closed as he placed the bottle to his lips and the babe suckled at it
hungrily.
This was what life should be, not f ighting in unfamiliar lands.
For several moments, Arcturus stood in silence, enjoying the
mundanity of feeding his son as he rocked him from side to side.
"You're back early," he said with a frown as Dorea entered. "What's
wrong?"
The woman looked as though she had seen a ghost.
Somehow, her skin was paler than normal, and her eyes f illed with a
mixture of shock and worry.
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"You'd better come with me to the hospital," Dorea replied. "They
found Cassie. She's not in a good way."
Melania took Cygnus and shot him the same look of worry as his
sister.
"What are you going to do?" she asked.
Arcturus breathed in deeply.
It was a question he couldn't answer in this moment.
"Bad way?" he questioned Dorea.
"They won't let me see her, but she was taken to the Janice Thickey
Ward."
Arcturus nodded his understanding.
"Let's go."
Dorea didn't need telling twice and followed him from the room and
out of the house where Arcturus took her by the arm and apparated
them away.
Without breaking stride, he crossed the street from the alleyway and
entered St Mungo's.
"I want to know where my sister is," he said in a no-nonsense tone to
the woman seated behind the desk in the reception area.
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"If you take a seat, someone will be with you shortly," the woman
replied, not looking up from the note she was writing.
Arcturus's nostrils flared in irritation, and he slammed his hand on
the desk making the woman jump.
"I wasn't asking," he growled.
The woman's eyes widened in surprise and Dorea shot her colleague
an apologetic look.
"I will send for someone immediately, Lord Black," the receptionist
assured him before rushing from her seat to do so.
Arcturus ignored the stares of the other people seated in the waiting
area, and the comforting squeeze of his younger sibling.
"Lord Black?" a man in healer robes addressed him as he arrived
through a set of double doors. "Please, follow me."
Arcturus did so with Dorea trailing slightly behind.
"My name is Healer Douglas, and I am in charge of the Janice
Thickey ward," the healer introduced himself.
"How is my sister?" Arcturus asked.
The healer released a deep sigh as he shook his head.
"She is malnourished and mostly unresponsive," he explained. "She is
rambling to herself and is exhibiting sudden bouts of violent anger. We
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have given her a strong calming drought, but we have not yet
managed to diagnose her. That could take some time."
Arcturus nodded his understanding as he was shown into the
infamous ward that housed the more diff icult magical maladies.
"We have taken the precaution of placing her in a secure room," Healer
Douglas informed him. "I will allow you in, but I must insist that you
do not antagonise her. We have taken her wand but people in her
condition have been known to have quite volatile magic."
"I won't antagonise her," Arcturus promised, though he still couldn't be
certain how he would react to seeing her again. "How did she get
here?"
"She was found in Austria by a group of cursebreakers and ICW
guards working on Grindelwald's prison. She was quite delirious.
One of the men recognised her and stunned. It was Monsieur Abreo
who had her sent here."
"I see," Arcturus murmured. "Who knows about her presence?"
"I have told no one," the healer replied as he opened the door with a
tap of his wand and gestured for Arcturus to enter.
The Lord Black had been prepared to feel an overwhelming rage at
the sight of his older sister, but as he looked upon her emaciated frame,
and pale skin, he felt only pity.
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This wasn't the rambunctious and strong-willed girl he had spent his
childhood with, nor was she the passionate, stubborn woman he had
seen her become over the past few years.
Whatever Cassiopeia had endured had broken her body, and as her
eyes fluttered open and she stared at him confusedly, he realised it had
broken her mind also.
"Arcturus?" she whispered.
Arcturus released a deep breath as he nodded.
"You're safe," he assured her. "You're in St Mungo's."
Cassiopeia frowned as she licked her cracked lips.
"Gellert?"
"Is dead," Arcturus answered coldly. "His regime has collapsed, and he
is rotting in the ground."
Instead of anger, Cassiopeia burst into tears and hid herself under the
duvet.
"No," she sobbed. "He can't be."
For several moments, Arcturus watched her, and his mind shifted to
everything he had ever read about the madness that plagued his
family from time to time.
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It was not something he ever expected to face, but there was no doubt
in his mind that Cassiopeia was suffering with it.
"Stupid woman," he muttered.
She had allowed her emotions to get the better of herself to the extent
that she lost touch with reality. That coupled with the nature of the
Black magic was a recipe for disaster, and what Cassiopeia had
become was the product of that.
With a shake of his head, Arcturus left the room.
"You should inform the aurors of her presence," he said to Douglas who
had waited for him. "They will likely want her guarded and I would
appreciate regular updates of her condition."
"Of course, Lord Black," Douglas complied shooting him a look of
uncertainty.
Arcturus did not comment further and made his way towards the exit.
"The aurors, Arcturus?" Dorea asked sharply.
Arcturus nodded.
"She is sick now, and she may never get better, but she wasn't when
she chose to follow him," he replied. "She either faces justice the off icial
way, or when Evans f inds out she is here, he will seek it himself.
What do you think will be better for our family?"
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Dorea was upset, but she could f ind no reason to argue with him.
"Cassie made her choices," Arcturus sighed as he took her arm. "I can't
protect her fully from what she did, but I can at least keep her alive.
That's the best she can hope for. I'm not willing to do any more than
that for her, not after everything she has done."
End Flashback
Arcturus had informed Harry himself of Cassie's condition, and
the conversation had gone as well as expected.
The man had agreed that the woman should face the justice
system but was adamant that if Arcturus failed to see it done,
that Harry would ensure she was no longer a threat.
Arcturus had taken the warning for what it was and accepted the
rigid terms.
"Receiving the Order of Merlin, Second Class, for his efforts
throughout the duration of the conflict, Derek Gilbert."
The voice of the Minister pulled Arcturus from his thoughts,
and he applauded his friend as he walked warily to the podium
where he was presented with his award.
Gilbert waved to the cheering crowd before promptly returning
to his seat.
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"Also, to receive an Order of Merlin, Second Class, for his
unwavering diligence to his men and his duty is our Second in
Command to our forces. That man is Mr Reginald Yaxley."
Once more, the crowd broke out into a welcoming applause as
Reg approached and accepted his award before offering a bow
and returning to his seat.
"Our final recipient of the Order of Merlin, Second Class, for
demonstrating outstanding courage and valour in the face of
danger is Lord Arcturus Orion Black," the Minister announced.
Arcturus remained stoic as he accepted his honour and nodded
respectfully towards the crowd and gathered Lords and Ladies of
the Wizengamot.
Receiving an Order of Merlin in any form was a privilege, but in
the grand scheme of things and everything he and every other
man that fought had endured, it meant little.
Arcturus retook his seat and looked at the medal, a frown
creasing his brow.
If any had asked if he would have experienced what he had for
his name to become nothing more than a footnote of history in
years to come, he would have said no.
"Now, we move on to the awards for the Order of Merlin, First
Class," Minister Fawley spoke once more. "Our first recipient is
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not one of our own, but he fought beside our men and proved
himself to be a most loyal ally when he and his people were
needed most. Russia could have simply closed off their borders,
but they chose to answer the call, and as such, this man
demonstrated excellent leadership and consistent bravery whilst
leading his men from the front. Today, we welcome him to
Britain to receive our most prestigious award in gratitude for all
he has done. I present to the Commander of the Russian forces
and Second in Command of the collective army that fought off
Grindelwald, Petr Sokolov."
The Russian stood in his red robes and shook Fawley's hand
firmly as he accepted his medal, the crowd cheering for him as
much as they had their own.
Petr's exploits during the war were well documented, and he had
earned the respect of the people that would usually be wary of
him.
There was no sign of caution, and the Russian even cracked a
smile as he waved before returning to his seat next to Harry.
"The final recipient of the Order of Merlin, First Class, is a man
who became the Commander of our forces and served us all so
proudly until the very end. Upon the death of his father, he did
not cower nor hide, but he stepped up when he was needed,"
Fawley spoke when the crowd had fallen silent. "He has proven
to be an excellent Commander and is responsible for ridding the
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world of the infamous and equally dangerous, Hans Gaulitier.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Lord Charlus Potter."
The applause that followed the announcement was quite
deafening and Charlus retrieved his award as humbly as any who
knew him would expect.
He had lost much during the war, but he had persevered and
represented the morals of his family with honour.
Arcturus was proud to call all of those he'd served with brother,
but soon enough, Charlus would truly become just that.
(Break)
Life had become no less busy for Charlus since the fighting had
ceased. He'd returned to Britain and to the duties of the Lord of
his family, had been back and forth to the continent to assist
where he could, and had begun his wedding preparations with
Dorea.
They were hoping the ceremony would take place shortly after
the coming Christmas, a day that whenever it happened, Charlus
couldn't wait for.
His mother had chosen to continue living in the Caribbean for
the time being, a decision that Charlus was not pleased with, but
he understood.
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Having spent much of his time in Britain in the home he had
grown in with his parents, the absence of his father was glaring.
With going to war and trying to hold everything together, he
hadn't truly had time to acknowledge the day to day without the
man, and Charlus was not ashamed to admit that he was lost.
William Potter had taught him well, had shown him how to
fulfil all of his lordly responsibilities, but still, Charlus did not
feel ready.
Thus far, he had taken each day as it came, and that was all he
felt he could do.
Today, however, was not so much about being Lord Potter as it
was about being the Commander of the British forces, and as his
name was called and the applause rang out, he stood as a war
veteran, a man who had survived a conflict where many others
had fallen.
As he passed Harry, he shot him a look of gratitude.
Along with Arcturus, Reg, and Gilbert, the five of them had
been there for each other when they had needed it most.
To Charlus, Harry was the reason the war had been won.
Without him, he knew not what they would have done, but he
was certain they would still be fighting, still grinding for a
victory against Grindelwald.
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Accepting his award, he felt a sense of pride fill him, but he
would give every ounce of it up to have his father back.
Charlus swallowed deeply as he made his way back to his seat,
taking comfort in the squeeze of the shoulder Harry gave him.
"Finally, there is one other that we must honour," Minister
Fawley said.
The crowd began whispering excited amongst themselves as
many craned their necks to get a better look at Harry.
"Already, this man has received the Order of Merlin, First Class,
for his outstanding contribution to the war effort from the very
beginning, and now, we truly get to show our appreciation.
Today, we present a peerage to a man who led the combined
ICW forces during the war, and to the man who defeated
Grindelwald in what we have learned was a duel for the ages.
Without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, Commander in
Chief, Baron Harry Evans."
The applause for Harry was thunderous with not a single person
in the Wizengamot chambers staying in their seat.
The man himself stood, his mere presence felt from the simple
gesture, his eyes cool, but barely concealing the continuous fire
within.
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For a moment, Charlus forgot that this was the same boy he had
shared a dorm with, the same orphan he had brought home for
Christmas, the same man who had comforted him after the
death of his father.
Harry had become an enigma to most, but not to Charlus.
Although he was quite a mysterious figure that instilled a sense
of awe within all, he was still Harry; the father, the friend, and
one of the kindest men Charlus had the pleasure of knowing.
"Being made a Baron of our land is the most prestigious title a
wizard can receive, and I'm sure there are none that would
disagree that Commander Evans deserves it," Fawley continued.
"As a Baron, he is granted a seat on the Wizengamot and is
named as a protector of Great Britain," he finished, pinning the
medal to Harry's robes next to the several others the man had
been graced with.
After a nod from the Minister, Harry stood behind the podium
and waited for the latest wave of applause to die down before he
addressed the room.
"I'd like to start by saying that it truly is my privilege to receive
this honour today, but I would be remiss in my duties if I did not
mention the sacrifices made by every man who chose to fight for
what is right," Harry began solemnly. "Many lost their lives, and
those that survived will never forget what it was we saw and
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endured during the years of fighting. Whether you were there or
not, you should never forget."
The crowd murmured amongst themselves at the sombre
address.
"The fallen will be honoured as a reminder of the sacrifices
made, as will those that made it home, and although the war is
over, it doesn't mean that we will forever be left in peace. Others
will come to try their hand at subjugating us to their whims, but
so long as there is air in my lungs and I can grasp my wand, I
will stand between them and their desires. You have my
promise."
The crowd cheered once more at the ominous words given by
Harry, taking his words at face value, but Charlus could not help
but think there was more to what Harry was saying than merely
a humble promise.
It mattered not.
For now, the fighting was done and each of them had a future to
look forward to.
If that future presented a cause in which they would need to rally
behind, then so be it.
Charlus would worry about that when the need arose.
(Break)
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The remainder of the summer had been nerve-wracking for Tom
to say the least. After his venture to Little Hangelton had ended
the way it had, he had kept his head down, though he was
certain that the aurors would be looking for him.
The first few days after the incident had been filled with
trepidation, and he took to listening to the muggle news on the
radio for any mention of what had occurred.
There was nothing, and the more days that passed, the more he
relaxed.
At first, he couldn't believe he had gotten away with it, but with
the muggle war still ongoing, the death of a family in a small
village was hardly of national interest, not when the case itself
was seemingly solved so easily.
The gardener that caught him would be blamed, and none would
look too closely into the matter when he was found with the
murder weapon still in hand.
As such, Tom did not hesitate to board the Hogwarts Express
and return to the castle for his final year of schooling.
The news that the wizarding war had come to an end so
suddenly was quite surprising, but it was the knowledge that
Harry Evans had killed Grindelwald that disappointed the teen.
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It was an irksome revelation, though something that would only
make his killing of the man all the more pleasurable.
Evans may have bested Grindelwald, but he would not have the
same success with Tom.
When he was ready, Evans would feel the full wrath of the heir
of Slytherin, and any accolade and glory he had obtained would
be all but forgotten.
Tom would ensure the world only remembered Evans as the man
that was ended by Tom Marvolo Riddle.
He grimaced at the thought of his name, the disgust he felt of
sharing it with such a pathetic muggle sickening and filling him
with shame.
It was something he had pondered for the past few years, but the
time had come now for him to create his own name and carve his
own destiny off the back of it.
"Tom, are you paying attention?"
The voice of Dumbledore pulled Tom from his thoughts, and he
shot the man a glare as he nodded.
Dumbledore met his gaze unwaveringly, not even trying to hide
the ever-present disappointment he showed in him.
"Yes, Professor."
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Dumbledore nodded stiffly and continued his lecture, and Tom
took a moment to imagine what it would be like to kill the man.
The same sense of excitement he felt as he had controlled the
gardener during the murder of his family rose within his once
more, and the teen smiled, an expression that shifted as he met
the stare of Professor Evans.
His lip curled in distaste at the sight of her.
She had married the man that had tried to kill him, birthed his
bastard daughter, and had been a thorn in Tom's side since he
arrived at the castle.
The woman was Dumbledore's stooge, his protégé that was like
him in so many ways, but more importantly, she was the wife of
the man he had come to despise above all others.
Evans had besmirched Salazar's chamber, had stolen his family
magic, and had styled himself as The Serpent.
Those thoughts alone made Tom's jaw tighten.
Soon enough, he would rectify one of those transgressions, but
until then, he would have to be satisfied with the knowledge of
what the future held.
Evans.
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Every road would lead to the man, and all it would take was a
little patience.
Tom had things he needed to achieve before he truly turned his
attention to his foe, but when the day finally came, he would not
hesitate to exact his revenge.
(Break)
Pierre Abreo had respected Harry's wishes to be allowed a respite
from attending the ICW meetings for several weeks, and even
insisted that he delegated the task of overseeing the relief efforts
on the continent so that he may catch up on lost time with
Minerva and Rosa.
That respite, however, had come into question upon the ICW
receiving the surrenders of Austria and Hungary, respectively.
The ensuing gathering had been tense, and Harry witnessed just
how contentious the body could be.
As he had expected, the meeting was called to discuss what
would become of the two countries moving forward, their places
within the ICW itself, and what sanctions would be imposed
upon them for their part in Grindelwald's uprising.
The affair had quickly become rather ugly with many calling for
harsh punishments to be administered to act as a deterrent to
each nation.
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Not all were in agreement with this approach, the most vocal
having been the Russian minister.
Sokolov had been furious that the ICW wished to impose
crippling economic sanctions on the two countries and had
pointed out that it would be only the people that suffered.
Most members of the ICW didn't seem to care, each country
seemingly wanting to carve a pound of flesh for themselves.
It disgusted Harry to see men and women he had come to
respect acting like vultures, willing to pick a corpse clean.
He too had been vocally furious at the suggestion and had
reminded them why the muggles were currently at war after
Germany had received a similar treatment only decades prior.
His anger had sobered many, but there were still those who
would not be mollified.
Harry had voiced his disgust and disappointment a final time
before taking his leave from the chamber and returning home.
That had been almost a month ago, and he had heard nothing on
the matter since, not from Abreo, nor announced in the media.
Such silence either meant that the ICW would act as they
pleased but do so quietly, or discussions were still being held.
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Harry knew not, but he had received a request this morning to
attend a meeting with the Supreme Mugwump, and though he
was tempted to ignore it, he had decided to be present.
If he could prevent anything untoward happening on the
continent, he would.
He didn't believe that Hungary and Austria should simply be let
off the hook, but he did not wish to see them suffer unjustly and
provoke further hostility in the future.
Upon entering the ICW building, he was shown to Abreo's
office where, much to his surprise, he was greeted not only by
the Frenchman, but also the Russian Minister.
"Thank you for joining us, Commander Evans," Abreo said, a
strained smile cresting his lips.
His years in power had not been kind to him.
His hair had greyed considerably, and the lines in his face had
deepened, giving him the appearance of a much older man than
Harry knew him to be.
"Evans," Sokolov acknowledged with a stiff nod.
"I gather that you asked me here to discuss something
important?" Harry returned.
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His tone was cordial enough, but he would be lying if he did not
still feel some resentment after the last meeting he had attended.
"Indeed," Abreo confirmed. "We have asked you here to offer
you another opportunity to work with us."
"I'm not interested in the Department of Justice," Harry sighed
irritably.
Abreo held up a hand to silence him.
"No, we got the message, Commander. The Department of
Justice is something we must address another time. I'm sure you
heard that Nurmengard was recently liberated?"
Harry nodded.
The news had been broken in Britain the previous week.
"Those housed within will require extensive treatment to
overcome their experience, but we are confident they can be
helped. Fox will be given a full pension and sent home, but we
will discuss the future of the department when necessary. No,
what we wish to discuss with you is a new position, one where
you will not only be employed by the ICW, but by the Russian
Ministry of Magic too."
"What position?" Harry asked with a frown.
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"We would like you to function as an emissary between Russia,
and the ICW," Sokolov broke in. "It has become clear to us that
even though we were able to co-exist during the war, that our
values are still so very different. Abreo and I have discussed it,
and we do not wish to find ourselves at odds with one another.
We believe that with you acting as a mediator between us, we
can avoid any unpleasantness."
Harry looked between the two men questioningly.
"Russia has no wish to become a member, and we would be
unwilling to accept them given our glaring differences," Abreo
explained. "However, we wish to remain on good terms, and
would look to create a new agreement between us and them, for
the benefit of both."
"And you want me to do what exactly?" Harry asked. "If you
decide you're going to disagree on everything, there's nothing I
can do."
"On the contrary," Abreo disagreed, "there is much that you can
do. You are highly respected amongst the Russians and the
members of the ICW. If you were willing to, you would be the
most valuable asset we have to create and maintain a prospective
agreement between us. You would be required to meet with the
ICW as you are already accustomed to, and with the Russian
Minister to conduct talks on each of our behalf."
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"It could avoid much unpleasantness in the future," Sokolov
added. "Already, your intervention has seen that the ICW are
willing to slacken their intended sanctions on Austria and
Hungary, and we are close to agreement with what shall be done
with them. Without you, Evans, I would have been ignored and
the ICW would have gone ahead with their initial wishes. In
turn, I would have been inclined to refuse to remove my men
from the border of Hungary until they saw sense."
Harry released a deep breath at the proclamation, and the reason
for the tension between the two men became apparent.
Although Harry agreed with the Russian in this instance, it did
show him just how volatile the relationship between them and
the ICW was.
Another war could have broken out had both sides not seen
sense, and that was something that must be avoided.
With a sigh, Harry nodded.
"I'll do it," he agreed, "but there are some concessions that I
must insist on."
The Russian and Frenchman both relaxed at his declaration, and
the latter nodded eagerly.
"Then let us discuss your terms, Commander Evans," he
suggested. "We are both quite keen for you to take up the
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position."
(Break)
He had tried his best to get past what had happened here, but try
as he might, he couldn't and Albus knew for the truth to sink in
so that he may live his life in peace, he had to come.
The ground that thousands of men had stomped across only
months before was showing signs of life. A thick, lush grass had
begun to grow underfoot, but the damage that marred the land
was not so easily hidden.
Where Harry and Gellert had fought, there was no new life,
only ugly scars that cut deeply into the ground, and Albus could
only imagine the violence that had taken place to leave the land
so barren.
Releasing a deep breath, he walked across it, surveying each
crater, split and crack, determining what had happened,
shivering as even now, the remnants of magic that had been cast
here still lingered.
Each new spell that made itself known to him painted only a
worse picture than he'd already had in his mind, but he had faced
it, and he could begin mourning properly.
He did not miss the man that Gellert had become, nor did he
pine for the friend he had once been, but it was difficult not to
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lament on what they had once shared and what better decisions
could have led to.
Turning back the way he came, he paused in the centre of the
field, frowning as he crouched down and brushed aside the upper
most level of soil.
Beneath, he found the beginnings of a sapling, not a simple
blade of grass, but a familiar plant that his mother once grew in
their garden when he was a boy.
He remembered this one because she'd always warned him, Abe,
and Ariana to be careful of the thorns as it grew larger.
"Roses," he murmured to himself, a slight smile cresting his lips
as he swept aside more dirt nearby to reveal another sapling.
By the time he was done, he realised there were dozens of them,
ready to grow and bloom to bring some beauty to the ugliness
that had unfolded here.
It did not remedy the feel of loss within Albus, but if even here,
where the most unpleasant of things had occurred, life could go
on, then all was not lost.
Whether it was merely a coincidence or divine intervention that
brought the flowers here, it gave Albus hope that life could
indeed be found after death.
(Break)
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It had taken several hours of negotiations, ironing out the details
of his post, but an accord had finally been reached between
Harry, Abreo, and Sokolov. For the most part, Harry would
work from Britain, attending meetings only when required so
that he could continue to care for Rosa whilst Minerva was at
Hogwarts.
She returned home daily, but that wasn't something the Russian
and Frenchman needed to know.
Harry had been away for too long and having missed much of
the first two years of Rosa's life, he refused to miss any more.
His salary would be paid equally by the ICW and the Russian
Ministry so that he was not beholden to either of them when it
came to performing his duties, and he would return to ICW
meetings with the same level of authority as the other
representatives.
He had been reluctant to agree with this, but as both Abreo and
Sokolov had pointed out, it would be beneficial for him to have
an in-depth understanding of points of discussion he may need
to raise with either of them.
Much of the meeting had been quite tedious, and at times,
Harry was reminded of just how Dumbledore had several titles
and responsibilities thrust upon him after he had defeated
Grindelwald.
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He shook his head of those thoughts as he arrived home.
He wasn't Dumbledore, and he didn't doubt his ability to say no
to anything that he did not wish to be a part of.
He had made the exception for this post only because both
Abreo and Sokolov did not wish for the already fragile
relationship between Russia and the ICW to deteriorate into
something it had once been where the two entities were on the
brink of war.
Harry could respect that and was willing to ensure it didn't
happen.
His life had been one constant war in some form or other, and he
wanted nothing more than a semblance of peace, for a while at
least.
"How did it go?" Minerva questioned as he entered the parlour
room with the view of the grounds.
This had become her favourite room, and Harry knew she would
be here at this hour.
"Well, I have a job," he sighed tiredly as he took a seat next to
her and pressed his lips against hers.
"A job?" Minerva asked, quirking an eyebrow in his direction.
"Does this job involve you risking your life?"
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Harry frowned as he shook his head.
"How ever will you cope?" Minerva gasped dramatically,
clutching her chest.
Harry snorted as he nudged her with his shoulder.
"You act as though I have a death wish."
"You've failed to convince me otherwise," Minerva returned.
Harry conceded the point with a nod.
"It's been rough, hasn't it?"
"It's not been easy," Minerva agreed, "but you are who you are,
Harry. You cause me more stress than I care for, but I love you
for everything you are."
Harry smiled, her words warming him.
"Where's Rosa?"
"Sleeping," Minerva huffed. "How long was she on the
Quidditch pitch today?"
Harry had the decency to look sheepish as he grinned in
response.
"Only a few hours," he said dismissively. "She is a natural on her
broom."
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Minerva hummed.
"She gets that from you."
"And you," Harry pointed out.
Minerva smirked amusedly.
"I should have been prepared for it really. With us as her parents,
she was bound to enjoy flying. I wonder if this one will be the
same," she added thoughtfully.
It took a moment for her words to register, but Harry's eyes
widened as he realised what she said.
"This one?" he choked.
He met Minerva's tear-filled gaze as she nodded, the smile
adorning her features leaving him with no doubt as to how happy
she felt.
It was so unlike the first time when their future was so uncertain,
when they hadn't even discussed their feelings for one another,
and Minerva had fallen pregnant with Rosa.
It was a difficult period for them both, but neither would change
a thing, not when they had been gifted something as precious as
their daughter.
"Say something," Minerva urged.
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Comments (13)
Harry could only smile, the emotion he felt unable to be put into
words.
Instead, he simply kissed his wife and pulled her into his arms,
squeezing her gently as he felt his own tears of joy begin
prickling his eyes.
Newest First
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Another fantastic chapter with yet another heartwarming
ending. Truly a fantastic story
I really enjoyed Harry's emotional beats in this chapter and how
you're following up on the other main characters of the story.
brilliant chapter
Se que ya se acabó la historia pero me gustaría ver que Harry les
diga la verdad sobre su herencia a Charles y Arcturus y solamente
a ellos dos ya que los tres por lo que tuvieron que pasar en la
Preview Post Comment…
AvidReader2425 2 weeks ago · 0 Likes
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guerra y todo lo demás llegaron a ser como hermanos y ellos
merecen saber la verdad sobre Harry
Is this the last chapter? Because it was I honestly wouldn't hate
it. We know voldemort doesn't stand a chance after he graduates,
Harry is going to do his best to keep the relations strong with his
new position, all these men who went to war are going to enter
politics and bring a lot of change to it with the new bonds and
experiences they've had... Etc. There's a lot I don't need to see to
know or guess will happen.
I would still like to see Harry tell his grandfather his heritage
though. But whatever. Thanks for the story if this is the last! I've
loved it and reread it multiple times, and I'm very excited to see
your next story!
Great chapter.
Harry and Michael Corleone have something in common. Just
when he thinks he's,out, they pull him back in.
StoneTheLoner 2 months ago · 1 Like
Steve Moss 2 months ago · 0 Likes
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When will riddle be dealt with?
Really like the story a lot, thank you for writing it. I really
appreciate it a lot.
I Really liked the story a lot. Thank you for typing it up. I want
to know when is the next chapter coming out? Thank you very
much. I really appreciated it a lot.
Really enjoy the story, but if Harry loses anyone he cares about
to Riddle then he only has himself to blame, Harry knows how
dangerous riddles is at this age hopefully he does something
sooner rather than later
Amazing but that baby cliffy is just evil
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Author/Site Owner: Lee : TheBlack'sResurgence
Email: (For all enquiries)
When the Roses Bloom Again - Opportunities Abound
When the Roses Bloom
Again - The Most Precious
of Things
Sweet chapters all the latest ones are. Sweet chapters.
Such a great chapter. It stayed true to its portrayal of war but
nevertheless ended on a heart warming note.
Guest 2 months ago · 0 Likes
Aryaman Gandhi 2 months ago · 0 Likes
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