Round 2
International Wizarding School Championship
Mahoutokoro, Year 2
Heritage
Main Prompt: (event) Elevetor ride
Additional Prompt: (setting) Consulate
Word Count: 1512
The House Competition
Ravenclaw, DADA
Standart
Prompt: (pairing) Amelia Bones and Cornelius Fudge
Thank you, my lovely betas, for making this legible
Power Play
The tension in the conference room was nearly unbearable. Amelia was holding her breath, scared that it would be audible. Fudge was staring at the Japanese Consul, but he didn't give in. She could hear her heart jumping against her ribcage.
As the Head of Magical Law Enforcement, her sole purpose on this trip was to ensure that any agreement they settled on in the Japanese-British talks on exports was in line with British law, but she was very much misplaced at the negotiating table. To say that she was uncomfortable would have been the understatement of the year.
After an eternity of staring, the Japanese stood up. Bowing down, they excused themselves from the table. Fudge remained sitting for a moment before walking to the elevator.
Amelia followed him, not quite sure what had just happened. Walking down the long, gold-leaf decorated corridor unaccompanied felt wrong. It was almost as if she had been snooping around a foreign consulate. And while she wasn't sure what had just happened, Amelia was fully aware that this was a delicate situation and she didn't want to cause any further trouble.
"What are we doing?" she asked entering the elevator. She bowed to the witch who was already in the elevator.
"Having a nice lunch somewhere while the Japanese collect themselves and get ready to sign the agreement," he said matter of factly as the door closed.
"Already? They seemed far from happy. In fact, Mr. Yamaguchi looked as if he was short of hexing you. I find planning our afternoon is a little premature."
"And I think you have no idea what you're talking about. Only one of us is the Head of Trade. Which of us do you think that is?"
She glared at him. Fudge may have been right about her expertise, but that didn't give him the right to talk to her like that.
The elevator stopped and the Japanese witch left, leaving them alone in the cabin. With her hands balled into fists, Amelia waited for the door to close. As the bell rang and the cabin set into motion again, she swiftly drew her wand and made it stop.
They were levitating in the small capsule between exits. Amelia took a deep breath to calm down. Turning around, she faced Fudge, who had been taken by surprise. He took a step back as she approached him, and Amelia noticed that she was still clinging to the handle of her wand.
"Frankly speaking, I find your tone unbefitting to address a fellow official. To make myself clear, the Minister has tasked us both to handle this trade agreement. Your job won't be finished without my signature, which won't happen until I understand every single detail. So, I hope that you are capable of explaining it to me properly, or unfortunately, we will have to return empty-handed."
With another flick of her wand, she set the elevator back into motion.
She turned her back to him and closed her eyes, unable to keep a smile from forming on her lips. Amelia had never been his biggest fan, and telling him her opinion felt good. She was an accomplished witch with plenty of experience and deserved to be treated accordingly.
They didn't move far before Fudge stopped the elevator again. Amelia faced him, waiting for answers.
"Typhoon 4 has devastated the land. With the damage so much bigger than initially thought, the Japanese are out of options, and they'll sign any agreement. Happy?" Fudge set the elevator back into motion.
"No!" With a big gesture, Amelia made the elevator halt once again. "You can't take advantage of a national crisis. Not only is this morally wrong, it is also illegal according to paragraph 7 of the Handbook on Trade from the International Confederation of Wizards."
"Japan hasn't officially asked for humanitarian aid."
She inhaled sharply and turned away from Fudge. Amelia couldn't believe he had actually said that. Her hand twitched, but she didn't hex him.
She should have known it. There was a reason why he didn't inform her of his strategy: because he knew she would never go along with it.
"Only someone like you could be so indecent," Amelia spat. She walked to the corner and hastily turned around to face him. "Those are proud wizards, and Japan has a lot to offer. Just think about the miracles Ollivander could do with those centuries-old woods… Most people have the decency to take care of their own problems and don't beg and blame others. There's no need to humiliate another nation, if all it takes is a little cash… A fair deal would go a long way, and Merlin knows we could use a helping hand the next time something similar happens to us. There is no long-term benefit in taking advantage of the acute crisis other than making you look good. You never plan beyond the immediate future, do you?"
Fudge sneered at her. "Well, we can't all come from a long line of Purebloods."
"I can't believe you would pull that card on me!"
"After all, it was your job as the Head of Department to see to You-Know-Who's followers being brought to justice, and look how many have walked."
"It is my job as Head of Magical Law Enforcement to see to every witch and wizard under my jurisdiction being trailed fairly. The judicial system, however, needs time to operate to satisfactory levels, and if I recall correctly, it was you who lobbied for pushing the trial dates forward."
"People were getting impatient," he justified himself.
"And now, they're unhappy with the verdict."
"That is hardly my fault."
Shaking her head, she set the elevator back in motion. She was done. What was she even supposed to say to something like that? A couple of wizards hopped in, and Amelia gave them a slight bow. She didn't quite understand why she was so upset. She had known Fudge for long enough to know his views; they had both been working at the Ministry for decades, after all…
When the Japanese wizards had left, she stopped the cabin and turned to Fudge. "You have no right to talk about my family like that. We've been working to better the lives of witches and wizards for centuries; my family died protecting this country and all of its people. Saying that all Purebloods are evil is as narrow-minded as laying all the blame on Muggles and Muggleborns." She needed a moment to catch her breath. "I have never intended to suggest that your upbringing makes you any less. I was merely saying that I personally think that you as an individual lack integrity and display a lack of empathy towards people who do have beliefs and stand up for them."
By the time they arrived at the entrance hall of the Japanese consulate, she felt much more at ease. It was liberating to speak her mind, and Fudge was smart enough to not upset her any further.
They hadn't even made it out of the building, and their lunch break was already over. Without having a bite to eat, they returned to the conference table. Whatever peace of mind she had felt vanished as soon as the Japanese entered the room. Cornered, they were less than eager to continue the talks.
"After reassessing our situation and with Britain's current… wood-shortages…" Fudge looked at her and Amelia gave him a nod. "We've come to the decision that it might be in our best interest to lower the tariffs on wood imports and keep the rest of the agreement as is."
The Japanese looked at them for a moment. After a second, they started murmuring to each other. Amelia couldn't understand what they were saying, but the mood in the room shifted. Gone was the hostility, and she felt like she could breathe unrestricted again.
Fudge leaned over to her and hissed, "I have achieved nothing; you're going to explain this to the Minister."
Amelia raised a brow. "Just think about how it would have looked like if you had failed to negotiate a simple bilateral trade agreement."
"Now, they can sell their typhoon damage cheaply on our island. What am I going to say to our domestic wood farmers?"
They hastily signed the agreement, and since it was almost identical to the previous one, there was no legal issue. As soon as the business part was taken care of, the mood of the Japanese team seemed to have lightened considerably.
"It's not like you've saved thousands of children. We haven't made a difference."
"I don't think Japan was ever in need of saving," Amelia said. "Sometimes, a little room to breathe is all it takes."
Mr. Yamaguchi clapped his hand, and a lacquer tray with a slice of fish and a bowl of rice appeared in front of everyone. He filled her glass with rice-wine and Amelia gladly returned the favor.
Smiling, she looked at her colleague. "As for making a difference, I'd say the gesture is greatly appreciated."
