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

Village Mystic A month 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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