Hey everyone,
WOW! I am really disappointed in all of you. I gave you the warning of a lifetime when it comes to this chapter and NONE of you noticed it. Because of that, do I feel that you lot deserve this chapter. If you can't even take three extra minutes to read the AN describing future chapters, I will just stop warning you lot about them.
This is on you,

Venquine1990


Chapter 43
Bad Cooperation

3rd of November 1993
Great Hall, Hogwarts
Regulus' POV

"I don't think we should postpone our discussion any longer. We're about to delve into the Tournament part of the book, so I think it's best we get our discussion about the World Cup out of the way before we get to that." Amelia says after everyone is done welcoming Harry back and praising the kids on their little creation.
I nod at this and then Fudge says: "Great idea, Amelia, but please, let me call on someone else first. Trust me, she will want to be part of this." Amelia grimaces, but then she looks at me and this seems to make her think for a minute before she says: "Very well, Cornelius. We'll wait for you and your colleague outside the hall."
Cornelius nods and Albus offers us the use of his office. And while James explains the situation to Harry, do Severus and I take off with Amelia. Yet at the gargoyle does Amelia turn to me and mutter: "I'm not going to lie to you, Regulus. The person Cornelius has in mind is a really nasty piece of work, on DE MMB levels of nasty."

This shocks me and the woman sighs as she says: "To be honest, now that I know about the MMB, I would almost willingly believe that that is to blame for her to get as high up as she is. She's horrible and nasty to practically everyone, whether it's in a direct or indirect way, and yet she works directly with Cornelius as his Secretary.
She's been trying – and sometimes even succeeding – in getting through all kinds of laws that are purely meant to make life for any being not a Pureblood harder and more difficult. Heck, if she had her way, all Magical Creatures, Muggles and Muggleborns would either be sent to Azkaban, through the Veil or out the country."
I turn to Severus at this, not wanting to believe that such a person exists, let alone works in such a high position of power and yet the man says: "Even Lucius can't always stand her. In fact, now that he knows who he really is, I'm pretty sure he will soon grow from dislike to outright hating her. And he wouldn't be the last of them."

I turn back to Amelia and ask: "And, why are you telling me this now?" The woman sighs and says: "Because if you want to get anywhere with her and keep her from insulting Jeremy, you will have to constantly remind her of the fact that you are from a Pureblood line and that Jeremy is the Primary Heir to your Line and House.
She's awful, Regulus, but she does have respect for those facts, if only because she wants them for herself." This makes me turn to Severus again as I can't help but wonder how the woman will react to the fact that my eldest was born of a bonding between two males. Yet I decide to just follow Amelia's advice and so we head up.

It takes us only a few minutes of waiting before Cornelius and the woman in question arrive and the minute she does, I get why I was warned so thoroughly. The woman is short and squat, has a face that resembles a fat toad and has brown hair that is combed in such a way her nastier facial features are shown off even more.
She is also already looking at me as if she is mentally going over the chances of getting into my bed, which just makes me shudder and not just because she is of the wrong gender for me, yet I decide to follow Amelia's advice. I step up, feeling glad that Sirius is still a little unable to properly become Lord Black and say:
"Greetings, milady, I am Regulus Arcturus Black, Deputy Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. May I introduce you to my mate and husband, Severus Tobias Black-Snape and my eldest son, Jeremy Sirius Black, who is one of the nine reasons I was able to return to this wonderful plane known as the Wizarding World."
And while she keeps smiling faux-sweetly, do I easily spot it. Hatred and disgust fester in her eyes as I introduce her to both my son and partner and while Severus also actually tenses slightly at the way I address him, do I notice him sending me a look that shows a professional sense of affection, which makes me really proud of him.

"Forgive me if I'm wrong, Deputy Head Black, but – I could have sworn that you were the Head of Black, seeing as how your – ahem – older brother turned traitor on your line, was disowned and then proved his true colors when he sided with that – maniac." The woman simpers at me, yet I only cross my arms and say:
"I'm really sorry to say this, Ma'am, but why should I defend my family – to someone who can't even return an introduction?" The woman reels back and Fudge cringes before he wants to speak up. But I raise my hand at him and say: "This may be a meeting about a Ministerial event, Cornelius, but we are following Ancient protocol here."
The man nods and steps back and something about my words seems to help the woman regain herself as she says: "Quite right, Deputy Head Black. I am Dolores Jane Umbridge of the Noble and Ancient House of Umbridge and Senior Undersecretary to Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Yet I smirk at her and keep my arms crossed even as she reaches her arm out. And yet before she can comment on this, do I say: "I may have been shrunk to doll size and locked within a doll house for the last decade and a few years, but my knowledge of the Houses has not been lost to me in those years, Madam Umbridge. Care to try that again?"
The woman whitens before I say: "Allow me, because your name does ring a familiar bell. I do believe you are the woman I met at Gringotts on the 2nd of September 1979, three days before I got tricked into going into a location that almost killed me, who demanded of the Goblins that she be helped before everyone else.
Am I right to assume that, if I heard you correctly as you were standing with your back to me, that you wanted your account manager to set up some kind of stipend with your father, but also wanted his name taken out of any and all vaults and wills connected to you yourself? Because your voice sounds quite, distinguishly familiar."

And while I have my back to her, can I almost sense the restrained amusement coming off of Amelia, while Cornelius is looking between me and his secretary in shock and Umbridge has her arms closely against her legs, her nails more than obviously digging into all the fat that she has on her squabby set of legs and perhaps even drawing blood.
"I see that you really are everything people say about the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, Deputy Head. Now, shall we get on with this meeting? It did seem as if Professor Snape is keeping his Snakes waiting for him downstairs. Not to mention that Amelia, Cornelius and I, naturally, have other business to attend to."
And the way that the woman turns to the latter two makes me almost roll my eyes as Amelia says: "Oh, I'm ever so sorry, Dolores, but it will be just you who will return to the Ministry after this. You see, Cornelius is needed here as he is part of the activity going on downstairs and Albus wants me to keep an eye on my Aurors."
"And what of Ludo Bagman or Barty Crouch or even Berta Jorkins? Surely they will be joining me at the Ministry once this is over?" But Amelia shakes her head and when the pink, squat woman shrieks: "Then why shouldn't I stay?" Do I smirk and state: "Because I'd rather not have liars around my family, naturally."

The woman glares at me, but considering that I have faced down Severus when he was pregnant of Jeremy, her glare really means nothing to me. I then turn to Jeremy and say: "I don't know what Cornelius has and hasn't told you, but the management of how things are done at the World Cup – isn't going well."
"Deputy Head Black, I really don't think that, after years of having been gone from Wizarding Society, you are aware enough of how our society works or how our Ministry functions. I doubt any complaints you have are really bad enough that either Amelia, Cornelius or I need to be the ones to hear them out, don't you?"
The woman tries to simper, but I just stare her down and say: "Apparently it's time to explain you about the situation going on downstairs. You see, my son Jeremy is a Time Traveler, one send back in time by Time Sand, which I am sure you know is the Magically Legal way of traveling back in time with the intent of changing eras."
The woman simmers in rage, proving that she wanted to interrupt me, but I had raised my voice just enough to raise above her disgusting hem-hem cough. "He came back with several books describing the upcoming five years and we just read of the upcoming summer and thus about how the Ministry handled the World Cup.

And trust me, milady, there are quite a few things wrong, the way the Muggles that own the campsite just being one of them." This makes the woman perk up and she simpers: "How exactly would you change the Ministry's procedure on this, Deputy Head Black?" And everyone can hear how she emphasizes my family name.
I really want to roll my eyes at this, but instead I just think: "This woman needs to learn how to play the political game. Time to show her what happens when you mess up." And I say: "Jeremy, please explain the lovely lady here your gameplan, which inspired the Minister and the DMLE Head to organize this meeting."
And as I turn to the young man, do I feel a burst of pride shoot up in my heart. The young man has a look on his face that proves just why he is the Eldest of my Line and why he has been the Leader of the Squad for all these years. Determination and a strong sense of confidence and strength practically radiate off of his face.

"With pleasure, father. You see, Madam, there is absolutely no need to include the Muggle family in any of the activity. They are business holders and if they are willing to lend their entire land off of to a whole community for the right price, then showing off our skill in holding events should convince them to hand over a little more ownership.
We will not, per say, own the land, we will simply convince them to leave the responsibility in our hands during the event we wish to organize upon their land. There is, of course, a risk that we will have to hint at what we are doing, but seeing how long the Wizarding World has kept itself hidden, I doubt that risk is very great.
Also, the community I was raised in has always exceeded at portraying a different image to the outside world than what is actually going on within the community. I and my fellow travelers have learned this skill at young age and I am quite sure we can use this to convince the Muggle to take his family on holiday during the World Cup.
That way, the Ministry will not have to concern themselves with revealing themselves to Muggles or breaking the Stature, which will increase their ability to keep riots and other overly excited or excuberant fans from breaking either the English or International law. And yes, my fellow travelers and I would love to help here as well."

"And what exactly makes you think you can help professional wizards who –?" Umbridge tries, having actually started to smile as my son just kept on bringing up points that showed off the Ministry's good side, yet her smile vanished when my son mentioned how he and the others would get things done for them.
Yet Jeremy doesn't let her finish and just pushes a fist upward, causing for one of the large blocks that make up the office floor behind the woman raise up to her height. The woman turns around and instantly loses every bit of her professional behavior. She turns back, yet I already know what she wants to do and draw my wand.

"Deputy Lord Black, stand aside, you are –.""Defending my son. Try and give me a reason against that that is legally correct, ma'am." I growl, easily spotting the furious disgust and hatred in her eyes and stance and the woman glares at me as she snaps: "Beasts need to be kept in control, as per Ministerial law."
"Unfortunately for you, Dolores, you never got it settled into wizarding or Ministerial law that Elementals are to be seen as beasts, so that reason is not, as Deputy Lord Black requested of you, legally correct. That is simply your own biased opinion." And while Umbridge wants to retort to Amelia, does Fudge actually step in.

"Dolores, have you lost it? That boy is no beast. His skills are brilliant. He has done so much good for so many already. His friends are Elementals and if it weren't for that, Deputy Lord Black and Lord Potter would still be prisoners. Not to mention that they are healing anyone who is badly suffering from attacks of the MMB.
They shouldn't be contained. If anything, once this whole reading is over and all that has gone wrong in the books has been prevented, I'm going to award them all with Order of Merlin awards, just for the fact that they willingly went back in time and risked their lives like this. If not that, then for the ways they improved so many lives."

And the way that Umbridge is now looking at Fudge, as if he is someone she has never seen before, says it all. "Cornelius, do you – do you – are you even listening to yourself?" But before Fudge can say anything, does Severus step up and say: "I speak as Head of Slytherin here when I say, I think you have overstayed your welcome.
You should leave." And the way that he turns from her to our son conveys his unspoken words very clearly. Leave or I will allow my son to make you leave. And Jeremy is obviously just as done playing the professional game of being the Eldest Heir to the Line as he silently nods at his father, his eyes proving he is still a Leader in all this.
Umbridge glares at all of us, at Cornelius the longest and with a look of sheer betrayal showing in her eyes before she storms out of the office. "You're lucky you're staying, Cornelius. You would have gotten an earful and then some if you went back with her. Personally, I pity whatever employee crosses her path right now."
Amelia mutters after the woman slams the door like a petulant child and I say: "Yeah, the MMB is definitely responsible for someone like her being able to rise this high up in power. The moral strength of the Wizarding World has, as Irma pointed out last chapter, would have kept her from getting this high up with that attitude if not for that spell."

"I – I never –.""Dolores knows how to play a nasty hiding game, Cornelius. There are rumors, most of them actually secretly confirmed, all throughout the Ministry of what happens to those who don't agree with her or help her gain more power and popularity fast enough. And the ones that are confirmed aren't pretty.
The only reason she hasn't been arrested yet, is because she knows how to evade questions and potential guilt, twist the story so that you're suddenly the bad guy and – and I really hate this one – because she has at least some small form of blackmail on all of my Aurors, making it so I could lose good men if I try anything.
She's just not worth me risking that, Cornelius, so she needs the punishment to come from the one source she actually looks up to; you." Cornelius looks concerned over this and then suddenly Jeremy looks at the door and asks: "Irma, what are you doing here?" And to our shock does Irma come in from the other side.
"What exactly were you guys talking about?" She asks and I answer: "Dolores Umbridge, the witch that just stormed out of the office here a few minutes ago, why?" And the girl shows us the file as she says: "Because this thing almost escaped my grasp not even a minute after she stormed into the Antechamber to floo out of Hogwarts."

"What did it say?" Jeremy asks and Irma plucks a note out of the file. Yet instantly my hackles are raised as this note is different from every other note we have had so far. Where the others were just written down on your average, every day sticky notes, this one is written on one that is dark black with blood red highlights crossing through.
"If you meet her before the Fifth, then await the Seventh. The Fifth is bad and painful, the Seventh – is destructive and murderous. She was a hindrance, until the war ended. After that, she never saw the light of day again. Be wary, be very, very wary. She is the one person who proves you don't have to have the Mark – to be evil."
Here Irma looks up and says: "The whole handwriting is cramped as if Harry was holding back on his own rage against the woman as he wrote this. The last word is also both written in very thick bold and underlined at least half a dozen times. Harry truly hates this woman, he truly believes her as evil as Pettigrew and Voldemort."
And the fact that Harry, in the note, mentions the two years that are most vital to his education really doesn't sit well with me and makes me even more disgusted with the woman than I already was. Yet at the same time, do I look at both my son and Irma in concern, trying to take comfort out of the fact that neither of them seems to know her.


Yet. Know her yet.
So yeah, Umbridge came in, showed her true colors and left. And before any of you get your wands in a twist, I was only going to punish you for not reading the AN's THIS chapter. I have no intention to punish myself by continuously writing about her. I don't have an emotional death wish, thank you very much.
Next chapter: some people voice their confusion over Umbridge's behavior as they saw her leave and about what was discussed during the rest of the meeting – which will happen off-screen, sue me – but then they return their focus to where it belongs. The book is picked back up and the Tournament comes one step closer.
Let's prepare,

Venquine1990