Ch 46 First ICWW with Princess and Prince Peverell
Harry Potter was worried, which by itself was not strange. Especially since after going years without losing an English Auror, the last few months he had lost several. Plus, they had lost other Aurors and Department of Law Enforcement personnel from other countries in the capture of the island and the taking of the Crystal Ball back to Switzerland.
Now he was one of the people in charge of security for the International Confederation of Witches and Wizards, and he was worried.
There was still much controversy about the changing status of the High Elves, what were and in some cases still were house elves and goblins, plus the High Elf Dwarves and a few other minor groups. Albus had explained a little of the struggles going on with those beings. Goblin High Elves were working alongside Magi law enforcement to make sure when the groups were together everyone was safe. Both Goblin Elf and Magi Auror had problems treating the other as equal, and just often enough their perspective on an issue was different. Albus had been called into several of these contentious negotiations, amazing Harry with his knowledge of Gobbledygook as well as more than one Elfish dialect. Albus was usually unnaturally calm during any argument, but Harry had seen him face down an angry Goblin, his bearing reflecting the harshness of the Gobbledygook language.
Saturday afternoon Harry had just finished meeting with Raphael Vaud, the head Auror in Switzerland, and a team of local and international Aurors in charge of securing this year's ICWW. "I want to tell Albus and Cleo what we have decided, and meet with them one more time," Harry told the group.
Harry walked from the headquarters of the Swiss Auror department, through the extensive network of tunnels and pathways that connected almost all of the governing and administrative portions of Switzerland as well as many of the homes and businesses, to the Castle. The day was pleasant, but it was easier to get to the castle this way because of shortcuts. The walk gave him time to think, and unfortunately to worry. Harry and his guards were met by security at the underground entrance to the castle, and promptly waved in.
"I need to see Albus," Harry told one of the people at the entrance. She looked at what Harry recognized was a version of the maps they had made of the castle. The witch pointed out where Albus was, in an office he used often when he was working from what was his home.
"Hello, Albus," Harry remarked when he arrived. "How are you?"
"Fine, dad," Albus replied, getting up from the desk where he had been sitting. "Reviewing the names and some information on people I ought to know before the opening ball tonight."
"How is Cleo doing with the babies?" Harry wondered. "She seemed to be doing well when we visited, except for being short of sleep, which is normal."
"She is a natural as a mother," Albus replied. "Arwen, Cleo's personal Elf, at least right now, will be tending the babies when we are otherwise occupied, although at this age that mostly means watching them when they sleep. If Arwen mostly watches the babies, then Dis can concentrating on being a guard Elf. After all the dangers, all the beings who have tried to harm Cleo and me, it cannot hurt to be paranoid about our safety."
"It helps when the baby only wakes up once a night, and the mother can get three or four straight hours of good sleep," Harry remarked. "It helps even more, of course, when they can sleep through the night, but if the baby is awake after two or two and a half hours' mother really doesn't get good sleep."
"The helpers have insisted that I get a good night's sleep," Albus told his father. "Cleo is on maternity leave for at least a couple more days, not doing anything, except for maybe a few hours at the opening ball."
"What about confirming the things that the crown princess and crown prince have to confirm or, I guess, reject."
"That will not start until Wednesday," Albus replied. "By that time Cleo should be better. She is already making enough milk for the two babies, and we have had a couple of spells where it was well over three hours between feedings.
"Are the shields up and tested?"
Harry confirmed, "The spell proof shields are installed between the visitor's gallery and the main floor. There are several visitor's galleries, as you know, and we have shields between each of them as well. There is a shield up between the Chief Mugwump and the other officials and the main floor, and another set up where you and the High Elves will be sitting.
Albus nodded. "And I know that the first and second floor galleries in the palace all have invisible spell proof shields installed, and we have installed spell proof shields between the raised area where some of us sit and the rest of the floor. We are going to confine what little dancing Cleo and I do to the platform. Most people should not mind."
"Most people are going to be amazed that Cleo even shows up, just haven given birth," Harry remarked, shaking his head.
"Well, it will be about a week, but she really is amazing," Albus agreed. "With the Elves we do have a tremendous amount of help, though. It is not like she is cooking and cleaning and chasing after other children. I don't know how grandmother Weasley did it all by herself."
Harry left Albus and went to find Ginny, who would be attending the ball with him in a special area for Aurors and not on the main floor.
Albus left his office and went to his quarters in the palace, and found Cleo getting ready to go to the dinner and dance. "How are you doing?" he asked.
"I'm only a little short of sleep, and otherwise I'm fine," Cleo replied. "I don't have much control over when the babies nurse, but at least they eat at the same time. One wakes up and fusses and the other one does too. Once one is up we just change both of them. I think both of them should be awake during the meal, but if they wake up as we come in and I can feed them early I may be able to eat uninterrupted."
"We are just coming in from a stairway and door right at the platform, not processing in," Albus told Cleo. "That should be easier with the babies, plus safer. Everyone on the stage is entering that way, the High Elves, the current and future executives of the ICWW, everyone."
"Including your Aunt Hermione?" Cleo wondered. "I thought Rose was in labor."
"She is," Albus replied.
"Call Scorpius and see what is going on," Cleo pled.
So Albus used his magic/Muggle mobile to contact Scorpius.
A; "Hello, Scorpius. How is Rose? Do you have a baby yet?"
S; "Hello, Albus. No, not yet. Not ... I guess it will be a little while yet. Not soon."
A; "Is your mother-in-law there?"
S; "Rose doesn't want her here. Says her mother will make her nervous. She knows too much about all the things that can go wrong, and is a little too eager to share what she knows. My grandmother is here, though. She is talking to your mother and grandmother Weasley and keeping the family informed."
A; "Well, good luck. Let us know when the baby is born."
S; "I will text you if it is in the middle of the night. From what I understand ... Rose is calling. Bye."
"No baby yet, and it might be a while," Albus told Cleo. "It sounds like the baby may not be born until the middle of the night."
Rich Hudson met Albus and Cleo as they left their private quarters and walked to the banquet hall. Rich had taken photographs as the atrium that normally was open to the sky was closed over to make the large room on the main floor. The roof of the castle had what looked like a greenhouse covering the atrium, so nothing had to be done to close in the roof. Now he was documenting Cleo and Albus as they took up their initial public duties for this year's ICWW.
Albus had been taught by his father the advantage of controlling publicity. As the group of people walked up to the banquet hall Albus asked Rich, "How has this week been?"
"A number of the reporters are frustrated that I am acting both as a pool photographer and reporter, and as a house publicist," Rich replied. "Brenda Starr from the Magical Local is especially upset. She thinks local reporters have the right to cover you. Jimmy Olsen is not as vocal, but he is also upset.
"They are right, in a way, of course. The reporters have been free to attend the ICWW, and talk to anyone they want to, but we have tried to keep your private life private. At the same time some of the public is eager for anything they can find out about your private lives."
"They are not getting into our bedrooms!" Albus exclaimed.
"Photographs of and stories about you living somewhat normal lives are eagerly sought out by many," Rich replied placatingly. "The story of Mafalda and Morgana fascinates readers. I never knew Mafalda very well, although I knew who she was. I have told other reporters that they need to talk to her classmates if they want more information about her.
"It doesn't help that Mafalda has disappeared. No one knows where she is. There is no indication of foul play, but that doesn't keep people from speculating.
"Photographs of the two babies are eagerly received, as well as photographs of you and Cleo holding them. People are fascinated by your staff as well. I am going to try and stay away from the politics, but after the ICWW I will need to work with you and Aunt Hermione and others on some stories about the ICWW."
"You cannot totally stay away from the politics, Rich," Albus told his friend. "We would like to work with you and Molly on some stories during the ICWW. Dad says it is always better to try and control what is written about you."
Rich entered the raised area where Albus, Cleo, and many of the other key members of the ICWW were going to be eating first, and positioned himself so he could take plenty of still and moving photographs of the group coming in. On the other side of the area he had hired a Goblin Elf to take photographs and document the Elves coming in.
Albus and Cleo, along with Frerin and Dis who were guarding them, plus the babies, came in last, walking up the steps and then moving to the center of the platform, where they sat next to Galadriel and Thorin, as usual the two females in the center and their mates next to them.
Cleo and Albus turned and put the two babies into cots that had been prepared for them. Cleo looked in frustration at the two babies, sleeping soundly. She knew better than to wake a sleeping baby, but the banquet was about to start, and she had hoped to nurse them before the meal, not during it.
She was finished with her salad when the babies started to stir. Arwen changed one, Albus the other, as Cleo readied herself, and just as the main course magically appeared before her started to nurse the babies. Arwen did a quick spell to keep Cleo's dinner warm.
When Cleo was finished, well, when the babies were finished, Albus and Arwen again changed the babies. Rich took a couple of photographs of Albus changing Adam. The two babies looked around, at each other, and it was obvious that they wanted to stay awake. So, as the meal was being finished the two babies were passed around. Again Rich made sure to have photographs of the men holding babies.
Jesus and Ginny were on stage with Albus and Cleo, and their son woke up when he heard the other two babies, and when he was finished eating also wanted to stay awake, so for about half an hour three babies were held and entertained as the entire gathering finished their meals.
Newborns do not stay awake for that long, and eventually Morgana fell asleep as Cleo held her, and Adam fell asleep as Albus held him. It felt amazingly good to hold a baby. There had to be something in human biology to make the feeling of holding a sleeping baby just feel so good, so just right.
The ball that followed was as much for meeting people as it was for dancing, and of course Albus and Cleo had a steady stream of visitors. As usual, Rich documented who was meeting with who, as many of the guests talked to beings other than just Albus and Cleo.
Harry was in a special area on the first balcony, along with a number of other supervising Aurors, right across from the stage, where he had a good view of most of the big banquet hall. Ginny was with him, as a guest. It was good not to be the Regent, but able to focus on his Auror duties.
Vetting people and letting them in to see Albus and Cleo, or occasionally denying them permission, were Joey Middy and Dax Dunleavy. Dax was back from medical leave, and Joey had agreed to work part time to make up for the loss of Aurors during the Battle of Malfoy Manor and its aftermath.
An Auror Harry didn't know looked at the two and frowned. "Who is that queer Auror you have down there?" he asked, pointing in the direction of the two.
Dax looked like he always did, a big buff man who lifted weights, and who you would not want to have to fight. Joey was overdressed in a silk suit, looking quite the dandy. He occasionally had well-endowed woman talking to him, with many gestures as they talked.
The man persisted, "One of your Aurors is queer, I understand. That little man in that silk suit? He looks queer."
"Joey Middy? He is a little strange," Harry replied, laughing.
Ginny huffed, "One of those Aurors won the Order of Merlin for rescuing family members from slavery. The other just lost his husband, and he was wounded."
"What are those women talking to him about?" the man wondered, frowning and pointing to Joey.
"Probably bras and support spells," Ginny volunteered. "He and his family makes the best support garments, and Joey Order of Merlin First Class is just the best of them."
"Sounds like something a fag would do," the man growled.
"You think he is homosexual?" Harry gasped.
"He looks it!" the man insisted.
"He is good at support spells because his wife needs them," Ginny informed the man. "She is expecting their tenth child, and she has a body a little like Cleopatra, too much of everything female. Dax, the other Auror, he lost his husband at the Battle of Malfoy Manor. Max and Dax were married for well over twenty years."
The offensive Auror looked at the Dax and Joey and shook his head. He turned away grumbling.
"All sorts of prejudice in the world," Ginny griped.
"Max's parents are still not happy that his ashes are in the columbarium at St. Merlin and Mungo's." Harry sighed.
"One of the reasons Joey is so good at female support spells is Laura, his wife," Ginny told Harry. "She needs them, and," Ginny giggled, put her arms under her substantial bosom, swelled by her pregnancy, "he enjoys playing with them." She looked down at her bust and whispered, "Like someone else I know."
Harry blushed. Both Harry and Ginny enjoyed touching and being touched.
Sunday morning Albus received the text message telling them that Elanor Granger-Malfoy had been born that morning.
"I think that's all of the babies conceived October first at Hogwarts," Cleo suggested.
"As far as I know," Albus agreed.
Albus and Cleo went to Church Sunday morning. There was a special box, above the main floor, for the royal family and guests. Albus did not like to use it, but with all the danger he and Cleo had faced he felt it was better to use the royal box instead of making the Aurors and others try to guard them in the midst of the other worshipers on the main floor. Jesus and Ginny Wang Rios attended with them. Jesus had been baptized. Ginny was not a Christian, and she didn't know if she even wanted to be. Her parents were not happy she had not married a Han Chinese, and she didn't think they would be happy if she became a Christian. Not that she had to live her life pleasing her parents, but ...
Harry attended church with them, and Ginny even came along, giving her one more chance to hold the grandbabies before the chaos of the ICWW.
Monday morning the four couples, Al and Cleo, Jesus and Ginny, Galadriel and Thorin, Luthien and Berin, along with staff and babies, took their seats at the very back of the chamber where the ICWW met. Problems started almost immediately. A witch from South America, the Minister of Magic for her country, came up and attack Cleo. "How come you let Albus dominate you? He and his friends are running this assembly and you just sit back and let them!"
It was true that Cleo was less interested in the details of governing, but anyone who knew Cleo knew that she was a powerful witch.
"You have been talking to Brenda Starr," Cleo replied, standing up and moving close to the witch. "She and I have had a few conversations, and she isn't happy with me."
"She says that when the three of them are deeply in conversations about laws you are not interested," the witch insisted, pointing to Albus, Jesus and Ginny. The witch backed up a little, trying to stand her ground, something difficult to do when Cleo was standing next to you glaring at you.
"I'm not," Cleo replied. "I trust them, and am busy with other things. If you had not noticed, I'm taking care of two babies, and am involved with many other things besides."
Albus butted in, "Cleo is the holder of the first wand of the Magi, and is I feel the most powerful Magi among the four of us. She understands the magic behind the magic better than anyone I have ever met, and has helped many understand and improve spells and charms. Her skills do not lie in laws and constitutions and governing, but she is still the Crown Princess and the first among us."
"You are a domineering little bastard," the witch grumbled at Albus, turning to face him and apparently eager to escape Cleo's gaze. The witch then left to take her seat.
"Well!" Ginny Wang Rios huffed. "That was a nice way to start the Conference."
"And after you made all the fuss about the name being the International Confederation of Witches and Wizards," Jesus noted, "and let everyone know you would be princess and prince or queen and king, not king and queen consort."
"We will see more of that type of exchange," Albus promised, and they did
Albus was a little familiar with the constitutional monarchs in Europe, none of which had any real power. He imagined his role, and Cleo's, would be only a little more than the other European royalty. In this he was wrong. Between the Prophets and the Royalty there was a great deal of power to advise and sway the ICWW, not to mention the contributions of the High Elf council. All of Monday was spent in formalizing the rules the revised ICWW was going to be operating under.
Albus was not trying to become more powerful, and in fact was looking for ways to make the position less permanent and powerful over time, but some very conservative factions wanted him to act like a king, and some very liberal factions, knowing what Albus was trying to do, were willing to give him the power. Which was frustrating, because he felt he was too young, despite knowing that Alexander the Great was about his age when he conquered much of the mid-east, what some Albus thought parochial historians considered the civilized world.
Bishop Scherica was there to remind him to stay humble, and Albus was glad he was a Christian, and had to acknowledge a power much better and greater than he was.
Tuesday they confirmed, revoked, or changed hundreds of obsolete laws and understandings, laws and proclamations that were waiting for some sort of royal confirmation or rejection. It was mind numbing work for the most part, although there were a few laws or understandings concerning house elves that were contentious. Some of the most contentious issues were put off until Wednesday.
Tuesday night Albus again had dinner with Cleo, Jesus and Ginny. Hermione joined them.
"Some of the problems are because of how Gabrielle DuMond translated certain documents," Albus observed. "They are accurate enough, in their own way, but there is probably a better way to translate them."
Ginny wondered, "Is she going out with Ujarek Harry Eseven?"
Cleo replied, "We've made perfume for her, soap and shampoo for them both. I didn't personally examine them, but I guess they are pretty close to being a committed couple. He is here with her, and I've seen how they interact. If they marry it should work out."
"I've seen him calm her down a couple of times," Ginny observed. "She can become very uptight at times."
"Who could soften the language some," Albus wondered.
"Scorpius," Hermione volunteered. "He is a good writer, with a way with language. I know that he has worked with Gabrielle and her team on how to word certain passages.
"I know that Rose has just had a baby, but she, Scorpius and little Elanor could stay in the castle, and Rose would not have to do anything but take care of the baby."
After more discussion that is what they decided.
"Call when you are free," the text message from Albus read.
Scorpius replied about half an hour later, calling on the mobile. "Hello, Albus. You wanted to talk to me?"
'We are having some problems with the way Gabrielle is translating some documents," Albus explained.
Scorpius responded, "Her first drafts are pretty bad. Technically maybe accurate, but there is way more to a translation that a word for word rendering. I have been involved in some pretty intense discussions about how to translate some things. Does she have help?"
"I think the documents in question have been written or modified just in the last day or two, and I'm not sure if anyone else has helped her," Albus replied. "Your mother-in-law suggested you could help."
"I would like to see if some of the other MELL students could help, but I am willing to do what I can," Scorpius responded. "Could I bring Rose and Elanor along?"
"Please," Albus told his friend. "We will have an apartment here for you."
"I need to talk to Rose, but I expect we will be able to come. Narcissa and the rest of the staff should be able to take care of business while we are away," Scorpius finished with.
Tuesday evening Scorpius, Rose and little Elanor arrived at the palace. Albus greeted them, explaining, "Cleo is feeding the babies."
"How is that going, feeding two babies?" Rose wondered.
"They eat at the same time, so that works out," Albus replied. "It helps that there is always help to change nappies. Two babies is twice as many nappies to change. We have more than enough help."
"I only have one baby to take care of," Rose insisted. "I decided that I was going to be a mother first, and so far I like that.
"I'm worried about what will happen when Astoria has her baby, though. I really think that if she doesn't take care of it I will have to."
Albus led the Granger-Malfoy family to a modest two-bedroom apartment in the castle complex. "Breakfast will be delivered to your room," he told them. "Someone will take you to meet with Gabrielle and several other MELL students first thing in the morning. There will be staff available to take Rose and the baby back to the apartment if she wants to nap or nurse in private."
"I don't mind nursing in public," Rose replied. "I'm rather short of sleep, though."
Wednesday Scorpius gathered several of the MELL students plus some of their Elves to refine the translations that Gabrielle had hastily done. They made some minor changed in the Elfish as well as more major changes in the English and French versions. Chinese was always more of a challenge, but they promised a Chinese version by the end of the week, and translations in the other common languages of the Magi by the following week.
Albus arranged for all of the beings working on the translation, including Scorpius, to stay in Switzerland for the week after the ICWW. Rose stayed with Scorpius, spending about half of her time working on the translations, the other half taking care of Elanor or resting.
And of course Rich Hudson took photographs, and wrote stories, and many reporters interviewed the MELL students.
Friday was the last 'official' meeting of the ICWW. All day Saturday there were many smaller meetings, with the closing dinner and ball following.
Saturday Albus and Cleo had lunch with Scorpius, Rose, Harry, Ginny, Hermione and Ron, just extended family, in one of the smaller dining rooms in the castle.
"How was business at the Swiss Weasley's Wizard Wheezes store," Albus asked his Uncle Ron.
"Good, as usual," Ron replied. "We may have to change the name to Weasley's Wizard and Elf Wheezes, though. More Elves are becoming customers, and we even have a few items designed for Elves. We have an Elf, a Dwarf Elf, quite a character, helping us develop products.
"We are also selling armor, the Kevlar garments with the curse resistant spells, to Elves, especially in Asia where there are continual fights with the allies of The Lord of the Dementors."
"Our biggest problem is maintaining the Statute of Secrecy, especially with all the surveillance technology that Muggles are employing," Hermione told the group. "But the problems with The Lord of the Dementors continue. He seems somewhat distracted now, but he still wants to kill Albus and Cleo, and ideally capture one or both of the original Crystal Balls here in Switzerland.
"I think he wants the first two wands in the hands of allies."
Harry added, "There are still beings, mostly Magi but a few Elves, who would like revenge on me, and on Albus and Cleo. The whole family still needs to be careful."
It was harder to control where people were at the closing banquet and ball. Seating for the banquet was assigned, but afterwards there was a lot of mixing of beings, Magi and Elf. There were always a few groups that were watched closely by the Aurors and other Department of Law Enforcement officials, but everything was reasonably calm. The limited verbal arguments did not become violent.
There were, however, a couple of arrests of Magi trying to break into the castle, which concerned everyone who knew about them.
That evening, as the ball was coming to a close, Harry and Ginny went over to the place where Al and Cleo were sitting, and went down with them to the personal quarters.
Floor minus one was offices. The personal quarters started at floor minus two. Jesus and Ginny went down with them, accompanied by their parents. Jesus's mother Juanita was head of the Los Angelis School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and a delegate, and Ginny's father was a delegate for China. The two parents knew each other, but were not exactly friends.
"Wish us luck," Ginny told Cleo as the two groups parted. Cleo could feel the tension in the air, and hoped that Jesus and Ginny would have a good enough visit tomorrow with the grandparents of their son Jacob Isaias.
Harry and Ginny entered the quarters of Albus and Cleo, and sat down in a modest size living room with Albus, Cleo and the sleeping babies. Cleo looked with love at her two little charges. "Albus and I will be all ready for bed and they will wake up," she remarked. "That's all right. I'm getting just enough sleep now. It is just coming in about three hour blocks."
"No attacks, not too much drama tonight," Albus commented.
"The fact that we didn't have any open attacks at this ICWW doesn't make me think that we can let down our guard," Harry emphasized. "Bad things don't happen when we are paranoid about what might happen."
Ginny and Cleo both yawned. Harry and Ginny left for their apartment. Albus and Cleo went to their bedroom, took care of the babies, and went to bed.
2022