Roses Under Cypresses

Chapter 15

An incredulous laugh left Harry's lips as he stood, lips pursed, as he stared at Robin. His green eyes torn between quiet anger and disbelief. "You can't get anyone to press charges." Realization dawning, waiting expectantly on the answer he was sure was coming. He would bet every single Knut in his vault that he was right. He didn't want to be because then he would know why exactly Robin was here.

"The evidence I've gathered is circumstantial at best," Robin agreed, looking tired and bleak all of a sudden. "Even without magic in the equation. I want him caught, confessing and imprisoned, but if I cannot have that I shall content myself with ensuring that Jack Crawford loses his job." back straightening up, determination thrumming through him. It was clear to see that he took his job very seriously. "So that he cannot endanger anyone else ever again." Vehement in his desires to bring Jack Crawford down for the greater good.

"Did Blaise approach you or has he pissed off someone in the magical sector?" Harry asked picking up the empty cups and setting them aside. Forgoing using magic, in his irritation, needing something to do to help him let loose some of his pent-up aggression. Putting the cups in the sink, he would clean them later, listening for Robin's reply as he rounded back again. Just waiting for Robin to reveal what Harry highly suspected he'd ask.

"You don't think what Crawford has done is wrong on every level possible?" Robin asked Harry incredulously, knowing without a doubt that Harry did. Harry cared too much about the underdog, and always was viciously cutting in ensuring justice was served.

Harry chuckled darkly, "This is good, who has he pissed off?"

"You mean except you? The Zabini family? The Lounds family is making a great deal of noise!" Robin cried out, honestly, having a professional conversation with Harry was very difficult. He preferred just getting to the bare bones of the situation, anything else he didn't much care for.

Will frowned, "Lounds?" he asked, lip curling just a little denoting disgust, finding her and her articles tasteless.

"It's a magical name, were magical, generations ago," Harry explained in simple terms before Robin could wax lyrically about the family. "They were extremely powerful, wealthy, and had a tendency to marry and producing offspring with their cousins. The Lounds family lost its powers and the money they had declined, at least what they could touch of it." pacing back and forth with a frown.

"The main family distanced itself from the cousin line," Robin said firmly, "The woman you're so familiar with is merely from a…"

"Actually adopted, her birth name is Freddie Skeeter, Rita Skeeter's twin sister." Harry declared chuckling at the choking shocked noise that left Robin's lips at the sheer shock of what he was learning. Giving the wizard a smirk, he didn't care that he wasn't really supposed to know this information. That he was giving out extremely personal and private information. Freddie Lounds had been doing the same to Will for years, and Rita did it to him. So, yes, there was a slight personal annoyance being drafted over.

"There's been a son born yesterday evening into the main family, there is hope once more that a Lounds heir may yet be sorted into Ilvermorny." Robin offered up, as if trying to soften a blow.

"What has the Lounds family got to do with this?" Will curtly asked impatiently, his distaste for the mere mention of the Lounds family strong.

"Carver Clunes, may he rest in peace, was Liam Lounds best friend, they were practically brothers," Robin admitted. "He believes Crawford is to blame, but again, zero evidence, not even circumstantial in this case." And not even all the money in the world would manufacture one. Crawford was damn careful; he'd say that for him.

"What do you want from me exactly?" Will questioned, he could feel Robin's need to bring justice to Crawford's victims. He could feel the anger and rage that nothing was being done about him. Disgust that the higher up in the FBI were so blatantly ignoring the abuse just because Crawford was one of the many bringing in serial killers. He could feel them, but they beaded on right up and down, touching him but not clinging to him. "I don't have anything that could be used against him…but you already know that." Hence the earlier disappointment when questioned about Crawford's actions.

"He wants you to get some sort of confession from him," Harry said bluntly, "It would take too long, and be too risky to try and insert someone else into the team. Crawford wouldn't trust them, not right away, you already have his trust, and you've proven to be able to survive Crawford's brand of justice." His feelings regarding this obvious, his lips turned down. Will didn't need to be an empath to glean that, even Robin cringed, clearly having underestimated what Will and Harry were to each other that he was so opposed to the suggestion.

Will blinked, "You're working under the assumption that Jack trusts me," not even bothering to point out about getting his job back, he knew Jack would want me back immediately. He wasn't being conceited about it, he knew just how much he was wanted, Jack would sell his own soul to get him back under his thumb.

"He's already started the paperwork to get you reinstated," Robin was perplexed enough to shuffle through his paperwork until he found what he wanted. sliding it over once he'd found what he was searching for. Checking it to make sure it was what it appeared, and he hadn't misunderstood. "So sure, he must trust you to some extent?"

Will stared at the black and white paperwork, hand beginning to clench into a fist. The paperwork crunching up under the weight of his anger. Part of him wasn't even surprised by Jack's audacity, it was just the sort of person Jack was…but to actually start the process of getting him reinstated after what he'd done? Actually, believing him guilty of the copycat murders?

"I'm going to assume it wasn't you?" Robin deduced, as if the seething rage simmering under Will's faux calm wasn't enough. He idly noticed that Will was very similar to Harry, not just their height, features but their reserved nature as well. Most people when they were angry, shouted, paced, something, anything. Harry and Will he noticed shut down, which was natural for wizards…but no-Maj's? big surprise.

"No," Will's reply was curt, the only sign of real anger was his nostrils flaring.

Harry groaned, "You're going to do it aren't you?" he asked resignedly, he was going to go back to work for Jack Crawford, when there was no guarantee, it would accomplish anything. "They don't have any evidence, Will, and I am sick and tired of you being walked all over…I just, just found out about it, can you imagine what I'm going to be like in a week? Two weeks?" Eyeing the paperwork close to immolation. Hands going into claws as if he was imagining strangling someone.

The way he eyed Robin made the squib blanch a little.

"Only if he wants," Robin emphatically stated, nodding eagerly, quite frankly more than just a little intimidated by Harry. He was struggling to recall their previous meetings, maybe he had it wrong. Maybe Harry had always been this way and he just hadn't seen it.

Unfortunately, the very person Robin was asking this of was someone Harry was extremely protective of.

Harry grunted, still displeased.

"It's entirely up to him," Robin continued, in the face of Harry's ire, "He's a grown man! I understand his speciality and will personally see to it that he gets the potions…or a pendant can be bought that will shield him from absorbing other people's emotions." Trying to entice him into it all the while giving the appearance of making it his own decision.

"I'm the last Potter, with the entirety of the Potter Estate with bequests to me going as far back as thirty-two years ago when I defeated Voldemort…did you honestly think I cannot keep Will with potions or find a pendant to suit his purpose?" Harry questioned with deceptive mildness. "Do not ever make an attempt to manipulate Will again, otherwise you won't live long enough to regret it. Am I understood?" he would not see anyone taking advantage of Will, full stop.

Robin paled drastically, swaying a little looking as if he was about to pass out, beads of sweat began to bead up on his face. Everyone knew that Harry would go to any lengths to those he cared for. Robin noted that Will looked rather amused by the threat…swallowing thickly, he wondered whether to leave, let them contact him or stay…he had no idea what kind of wards Harry had up and he'd really rather not end up banished by the wards. From all he'd read he knew it was excruciatingly painful.

"He won't be just abandoned afterwards," Robin explained, sincerity dripping from every pore. "We want him to do a trial run on co-running the MBAU."

"MBAU?" Will commented, wondering where Harry had put his drink. He could really use one right about now. He had a feeling he knew the right answer, but he wanted to be sure.

"It's the Magical Behaviour Analysis Unit, I'm attached to it, as a bounty hunter." Harry explained lips pursed.

"I'm not really magical," Will pointed out.

"MBAU don't deal with direct confrontations, they write up reports on how best deal with a specific individual," Harry corrected the misconception. "Don't get me wrong, they're done the work, they're Auror's, cops, what have you. They're very intelligent, gained their doctorates, some stay, some transfer out when they don't see as much action as they thought." He knew from talking to quite a few people who used to be in the MBAU in his years of hunting down the Death Eaters.

Robin nodded, "It's for the most intelligent of us," the BAU and the MBAU gave profiles of offenders, so that the Aurors or police knew best how to catch them, where to look and such. Technically they weren't charged with hunting them down, no that was the job of whichever force had requested they come.

"You mean because we can think like them?" Will said dryer than bone dust. It was quite a popular saying within the BAU, they were so good at their job because they could think like them.

"Young Will, it is our choices that show us whom we really are, far more than our abilities," Robin declared solemnly. Sombrely. "Just because we can think like them, doesn't mean we are going to turn into them." believing what he was saying was entirely true. They're taught to think like the bad guys, the criminals. They spent years qualifying for a job, so, no they didn't just automatically know what to do and say. Profile building was based on years and years of training and others sacrifices and of course, the interviewing of the serial killers.

Harry barely, barely refrained from rolling his eyes, the advice wasn't originally Dumbledore's but that was exactly whom he thought of when he heard it. His right and wrong morality (his morals) had died when he realized grown up ass adults had sent him to die. Had set it all up, from a miserable damn childhood, to allowing him to have friends for the first time, and some semblance of a family, so that he would die when the time was right.

Which he had done, and in his betrayed confusion actually forgave the bastard. He rather hoped the bastard was rotting in the pits of hell, but when had he ever gotten what he wanted?

"You don't have to give us an answer right away," Robin reassured him, "Take some time to think about it, this is my card, please, call me when you've decided." Handing over the card, and Harry eyed it with a thoughtful look, he wondered if Hannibal would even notice that he hadn't received a particular card…considering how intelligent he was probably.

Too bad.

"It was very nice meeting you, Doctor Graham." He said, inclining his head again, glancing at Harry, "Lord Potter," using his title for the first time since they met. All too aware he had pissed Harry Potter off. "I'll see myself out." And all but ran towards the door, decorum was probably the only thing stopping that full on run.

"Please don't tell me you're actually thinking about it?" Harry groaned out, exasperated.

"It's all I've ever wanted to do." Will said, glancing out the window, in the distance he could see his dogs barrelling full force to the house, with Buster rushing after a ball.

"Then go to the MBAU, teaching or profiling," Harry suggested, "Just don't get yourself crushed under Crawford's boot again."

"What did you mean by Hannibal's daughter?" Will asked Harry, turning back to face the wizard.

Harry just gave him a look that suggested he was questioning Will's intelligence if he thought for a second, he didn't know what he was up to. Trying to change the subject, well, Harry wasn't going to let that happen. They were discussing it here and now.

A/n – a little short as far as chapters go, I know but I honestly do want your real opinions, I truly hate Will going back to work for Jack after everything the guy put him through…truly, its irritating one might say. I know! I know! there would be no story to read otherwise! LOL for the most part 😊 so, I am wondering if you'd hate it knowing there was a reason for it…or if you just want Will to decline Robin's offer… and see him moving on with his life with Jack's life becoming intolerable behind the scenes and newspaper articles 😊 Or if you'd like to see Jack put the nails in his own coffin 😉 hahaha! And since this chapters smaller I'll add at least 2K onto the next chapter to make up for it promise 😊 R&R