January 24, 1945
Sunday Afternoon
Harry was in his bed, in his home and resting with his wife-to-be. It seemed strange to be out of their hiding place under the school in the Chamber, but it was loads better. There weren't dozens upon dozens of people stuck together, explosions weren't off and the very foundation of the school wasn't shaking. All in all, his home with the beautiful nature that surrounded it, was absolutely beautiful. Elaine's presence only made it better and this time around, the thought wasn't remotely as strange as it should have been.
She was somebody who he loved, truly loved, and from what he could get from her it was a shared feeling. After nearly two years, they finally reached a level in their relationship where they felt completely at ease with one another. There would be growing pains, her politics the cornerstone of those pains, but that could be worked past now that their main obstacle in Grindelwald, was dead. Merlin, it had taken so much effort and far too many lives, but the world could finally know peace… again… for now.
That's too dark a thought for me to have this morning, Harry thought, annoyed with himself as he rolled over to look at Elaine's peaceful sleeping face. Without her typical sly, confident or otherwise intimidating look, she looked like any other girl with an exceptional level of beauty. Angelic would have been a word poets likely used to describe her, the incredible paleness of her skin and the blackness of her hair nearly at odds with one another; those dark eyes of hers that nearly matched her hair only added to a sense of intimidation that was naturally occurrent. Still, asleep as she was, she looked innocent, almost.
There was a pop, quiet and right outside his bedroom door and the person who caused it practically tiptoed in so as to avoid causing a ruckus. "Laddey is here, sir," the small house-elf whispered, his big, expressive eyes singling out Elaine. "Did you want Laddey for something, Harry, sir? The Missus said Laddey should make sure the master has everything he needs."
"Breakfast for Elaine and me, please. Thank you, Laddey - I don't tell you this often enough, but I'm an incredibly lucky wizard to have you here. You're a good butler and a better friend," Harry said, smiling as widely as he could since yesterday at the now beaming house-elf that still reminded him entirely too much of Dobby.
"Laddey is happy to be called the master's friend, sir. Harry is a good master, the one that all of us wish we could serve. Laddey will always be willing and happy to do whatever you need," Laddey smiled so high that his mouth nearly reached the lower corner of his eyes, then, he teleported away to relay Harry's order. It didn't need any specifications, not since the small house-elf knew Harry's favourite foods as well as Elaine's.
"You're much nicer to them than most any other witch or wizard," Elaine said, her eyes now open and peering at him through narrowed slits with crust at their corners. "I can see why they perform at such a high degree if that's how you treat them… perhaps more wizards and witches could learn from you. Without a doubt, I can tell you that my opinion of the diminutive creatures has changed thanks to the ones that serve you."
"Good morning to you too," Harry said back to her, rolling his eyes as she got all schemey first thing in the morning. "Did you sleep well? I know we stayed up late last night and all, but you couldn't have gone that long after I fell asleep."
One of Elaine's cool hands burrowed into his shirt, clenching it into one of her fists as she pressed herself closer against him. She always felt cold, a cost of one of her rituals that she had performed, and as such whenever she felt the bite of the brisk morning or winter air too strongly, she would cuddle right into him just as a snake would bask on a hot rock. Had he been opposed to her presence or physical contact with her, the odds were very high that he would have requested that she avoided doing so, but lucky for the both of them, he enjoyed their cuddling sessions more than he had ever thought he would.
Who would have known that sharing warmth and holding another person could convey so many things all at once, a deeper, inner warmth the best of those feelings?
"My sleep was fine thanks to you being beside me, it was yours that worried me," Elaine looked closely at him, her eyes opening wider now. "You look tired, I can see your eyelids fighting to stay open. I'd be a poor future wife if I didn't urge you back to sleep, but with your wonderfully high level of willpower, you'd tell me 'no' quite firmly, wouldn't you?"
All Harry did in response to her question, was nod. He was up, as wide awake as he could be for the day and really, he didn't fancy any more nightmares or depressing dreams. Seriously, the least Mortem could have done was take away the negative side-effects that fighting as part of a war, had done to him. If not that, the 'godly' being could have let him stay asleep until he woke up well-rested and ready for the day.
"Such a plain answer without the need to sugarcoat it for me, much less agree out of principle," Elaine mused to herself, one of her hands - now warmer - coming up to stroke his face with an incredibly soft, nearly fleeting touch. "Your ability to speak plainly and honestly to me is but one of the many reasons that I love you, I sho- breakfast in bed too, is it?"
Elaine's topic changed when Laddey appeared, two large trays and a few pitchers floating around him as he made his way through the door. When he saw that Elaine was awake, he took a pause to smile and perform his best bow, then he continued right on in until he was near the foot of their bed. It was then that she chose to speak again, first to Laddey, then to Harry.
"Thank you, Laddey. I'm very glad that you remember my favourite breakfast foods," Elaine said, dipping her head respectfully to the house-elf before she turned her attention visually to Harry, a happy look forming on her recently awoken face. "This is very thoughtful of you, but I do have to warn you that a girl could get used to this sort of thing if you do it too often. I'm rather certain you wouldn't like me to resort to snogging you whenever I'd like, as I did in the past… not unless we're alone, though your embarrassed looks are certainly a treat of their own."
Harry shook his head, essentially telling her 'no' even as she advanced on him until she was straddling his body, their food now at the foot of their giant bed and the house-elf gone from sight. "Alone like we are right now, you can do whatever you'd want. We have the whole month and most of next off while they fix everything up, so it'll be boring if you don't do anything, yeah?"
Elaine smirked, clearly satisfied with his words. "You'd miss my games, plays and affection too much, is that what I'm hearing?"
He rolled his eyes and tossed the top layer of their covers off of him, the bulky, soft sheets getting in the way of him reaching their food. Elaine prevented him from tossing off the other two undersheets, one of her hands catching the one of his that had been about to move the rest aside and the other turning his face back to look at her again.
"What it is?" Harry asked, pausing his movement and looking up at Elaine from her elevated position astride him.
She moved in closer, her eyes staring into his own with an intensity rarely displayed until it all but vanished. "I was making sure that woman in your dreams hadn't switched you with somebody else. My old Harry, the one I claimed instantly and who refused to do anything with me unless I all but seduced him, would be happy for such a long reprieve," Elaine's look turned victorious and smug as she pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "You've finally acknowledged everything between us, it makes me happier than I ever thought possible… whole, if I may."
Whole? Haven't you been whole since the day you were born?
Harry nearly asked what she meant, but he decided against doing so. There truly was some level of bonding between them, their minds accessing one another's for visions or dreams proved that and their wands working together with such an increase of power added to it. Still, he didn't exactly think that 'whole' was a good word to use when he had felt just fine without her being this close to him.
"I'm glad it's turned out for the better too and if I'm honest, I didn't think you'd be this into cuddling. You were always so intimidating, especially when Abraxas turned up all hurt and clutching at his arm, but I guess that wasn't really too bad… anyways, what should we do now that we have all of this time away from Hogwarts? I thought resting here would work just fine, but you probably aren't all that big of a fan when it comes to that, are you?" Harry's final question was a stupid one, the answer known to him without even having needed to confer with Elaine, but still, he did want to gleam some of what their day would be.
"Corene," She said quickly and not all that surprisingly. "She claims to be a cousin of mine, a first cousin. If true, that would make her my closest living relative and our relationship is already quite extensive. I'd like to speak with her, have a day with her and you both where we do nought but rest here or at her familial home, then I'll meet with our grandmother for the first time in my life," Elaine spoke with a minor tinge of bitterness in her voice, but the chief emotion was obvious, she sounded eager and happy at the thought of having a larger family.
It made him think about her father, the man hidden away in a locked room in the centre of her house. If the man was still there, he would have to see about having her let him go free or at least live like a person really should. On the other hand, if the man was gone, he would probably ask where he had gone off to. That version of Elaine had seemed a bit more unhinged than the current one he was dealing with even if that current one was just in a happier, more stable mood.
"Corene first… after our Ministry visit this morning?" Harry asked, blinking as he remember that conversation with the Minister's newest Chief Advisor, Barnibrelin; the man was short, hairy save for the baldness of his head and with a stockiness that reminded Harry of Goyle from his time.
Elaine shot up and out of the bed, nearly destroying the desert if it hadn't been for his quick thinking. "You're wonderful," she said, leaning back over to plant a large, forceful kiss directly on his lips before she darted off in the direction of the bathroom, already stripping as she did so. "Cast a heating charm over our breakfast and join me for a wash. I'll see to your wounds and you to mine so that we're as prepared as possible for our visit - it's in less than an hour, we'll need to match our clothing and go over our important talking points."
I should have kept my mouth shut, but, she probably would have remembered anyhow, Harry thought as he went about doing what she asked, sighing as he approached the shower in a stumble-filled walk, At least this gives me the time to wake up so long as Elaine doesn't rush me too much.
Merlin, did he hate politics more than almost anything else in life or what.
"You remember what we should avoid discussing at the current point in time should they come up in our discussion?" Elaine asked, unusually patient as the two strolled casually through the atrium of the Ministry, disregarding all of the looks sent their way; this was the day directly after the battle had concluded, after all, and news of their defeat of Grindelwald as well as their avenging of Professor Dumbledore was everywhere just like their pictures.
I'm sorry, Professor, Harry thought, shaking his head lightly as they continued, I should've done more to help you, we could've taken a go at everything together, but now it's up to me… I'll make sure everybody's looked after,
"Yeah. We won't get into rights for Werewolves or other people and we won't talk about changing traditions. Those are too controversial and we don't know enough about the Minister's Chief Advisor just yet. Not until Corene gets a rundown from her father that she can share with us," Harry answered, clearing his head as his hand tightened around one of Elaine's.
"Perfect, I expect nothing less of you, my love," Elaine said, kissing his chick sweetly to the pleasure of their onlookers. "Sorry, it's far too enjoyable when we've such a large audience. In the past, I suspect I would've gotten a snog in so as to claim my territory, but that's no longer needed now."
"Thanks for showing the restraint," Harry said, snickering until Elaine shot him a look that conveyed she really would do just that.
When she saw him cough purposefully, she smiled and patted him on the cheek. "You're too easy to tease, though I suppose my abilities as an actress are as wonderful as my affinity for all things magical in nature," she said, sounding humble as she always did until the two of them came to a stop at an older-looking lift than he was used to. "Muggle technology. I would rather we take the stairs or better, we use a creation of our own for quicker movement around the Ministry. They're truly a problem that needs solving, just not extermination."
"I'm glad you don't think we need to kill the lot of them," Harry said, shaking his head as Elaine snorted.
"They can be useful and like us, they can understand. We're not meant to go together or else we'd be the same in every regard, still, all peoples have a place in the world. Now, let's avoid the confrontational subjects and go about climbing the staircase. Our followers and the journalists will follow after us in the hopes of getting a good story, so at least in that way we'll know whom to avoid," Elaine said as she pulled him abruptly to the side and away from the lift, the stairway door opening to the both of them as they hastily began to climb.
Nearly twenty minutes later and with only a dozen or so people hot on their tail, Harry and Elaine came to a stop outside of the Minister's Chief Advisor's office. When they reached that position, the group following after them very quick thereafter disbanded. It was wonderful, having them be gone. He wished it would have happened sooner, the cameras and their incessant questions entirely insensitive after all that they'd gone through.
"Elaine Gaunt and Harry Peverell," the man at the desk said, their identities stated rather than asked, "Chief Advisor Barnibrelin is ready and waiting for you… but before you head in, could I please ask you to sign this for me? My apologies, it's unprofessional, but I've never met people with legendary statuses such as yourselves."
I haven't even gotten an Order of Merlin yet and already people are going barmy. It's insane, but I wonder if it'll be easier since there are two of us… that has got to be less impressive than Dumbledore defeating Grindelwald in a one on one like in my time, right?
"Harry, darling," Elaine said, her hand resting on his upper arm as she pressed something into his hand. "I've made my signature on the paper, could you do the same? We don't have all that much time today, not if we're to meet with the Carrows after our meeting with the Chief Advisor."
As always, Elaine stated their business in such a way that it made them seem like they were more important or with a higher status than they really had. It was pretty funny to him, but when he saw the man behind the desk - someone near their age for Merlin's sake - swallow, he reckoned some people took it a bit more serious than he typically did.
"Yeah, sorry mate - what's your name? I'll sign it directly for you if that's alright," Harry said, shaking his head and putting on a friendly look despite the sadness that still lingered, festered, inside of him.
That list hadn't been handed over to him yet, the one with the names of all of the fallen people, but it didn't take a genius to realise there were at least a few hundred. Obviously, that didn't include the many dozens or other hundreds that had fallen in Grindelwald's push to Hogwarts before the battle had taken place.
"Axel, uh, Axel Stevenson, Mis- Heir Peverell," the man said, stumbling over his words before he finally stuck out a slightly shaking hand.
Harry shrugged and took ahold of it, shaking the man's hand as he would anybody else. When that was over, he signed the back of the man's paper, smiled and pulled Elaine over to the door so that they could continue with the rest of their day. He wanted to rest and doing all of this political nonsense the very day after the battle was already getting to him; the smells of battle were still fresh on his nose, the visions of horror lingered in his eyes and the sheer force of it all still weighed down on his shoulders heavier than anything else he'd ever experienced before in his life.
"Chief Advisor," Harry and Elaine said in unison when the man finally made his way into his office from the second door, the one that was on the opposite side of the public's entrance.
He had been late to their meeting, one that had taken place in his office and scheduled for his convenience. It was pretty rude, Elaine's tone of voice already conveyed her displeasure, but still, they would take this meeting in the hopes of furthering their shared ambitions of power. His reasons for doing so were far more altruistic than hers, but he had to concede that they did exist.
Peace has to be established and all of this Pureblood or not nonsense needs to be destroyed. That Veela, house-elf, Werewolf and everything else stuff can be tossed in the mud too, it's all stupid, the lot of it, Harry was filled with disdain for politics and the bills of segregation they had. They should see that Muggles were the problem, the biggest threat to the wizarding world.
It wasn't the magical population that could wipe out a city with one bomb, it wasn't the magical beings that were capable of killing millions upon millions in the span of a year. The threat was obvious, real and finally, one that he had seen firsthand thanks to living through this time. They didn't need to be enslaved or killed, the magical population just needed to find ways to hide or keep the land they had to themselves.
"Ahhh," the man said as he finally fell into his chair, his face and stomach jiggling as he pulled himself into his desk and in the proper position. "My apologies for keeping you both waiting, but rest assured, it was for a very important reason that surmounts to our national security as a nation. I wouldn't keep two war heroes like yourselves waiting if it was for anything else - can I have anything brought for you by way of apology? Tea, candies, food, a rare book even?"
Harry and Elaine each said no, the latter surprising the former when he considered Elaine's love for rare books. "We're quite alright, Chief Advisor, thank you," Elaine said politely, if still with a bit of something scathing in her tone. "Thank you for allowing us this meeting too, it's wonderful to meet and speak with somebody as high up in our government as you are. Most people of any nation are never afforded such an opportunity."
"It's the very least we could do, but I hope to rectify that with the Minister stepping away for a few months," the man said, grinning as he gestured to a fat stack of paperwork at the corner of his desk.
"The Minister's stepping away for a few months, Chief Advisor?" Harry asked, not able to contain the question or his curiosity.
"Please, do call me Sevolf, and yes. Our Minister is tired and currently battling an illness the likes of which Professor Dumbledore was experiencing. I dare say the two being close friends as they were only served to hurt our Minister more, as I'm sure the both of you can sadly relate - I lost many a friend until your joint efforts caused the downfall of the worst Dark Lord experienced in centuries," The Chief Advisor, Sevolf, said. "It's over thanks to your combined efforts and that of the Late Albus Dumbledore. He'll have his name in the history books right beside your own, but he's passed on whereas the two of you, have not."
Elaine nodded when the man seemed to have a lul in his speaking and then she injected herself back into the conversation. "What do you need from us, Sevolf?"
"Quite frankly, your assistance in calming the masses and restoring trust in our Government. In return, I can offer you nearly whatever you'd desire short of my position or the Minister's elected seat," the man grinned at them both again, the look far more predatory and slimy than the previous one. "Name your price and we can meet it, within reason."
"It's that simple, is it?" Elaine asked, her voice betraying a certain level of amusement as she questioned the man's intentions.
Sevolf nodded and gestured around his office, the luxurious furniture and expensive pieces all over the room showed his general level of wealth. Harry supposed it showed his political capital too, though he wasn't really all that impressed with the man's wastefulness based on how expensive a majority of these pieces were.
"Why ask us in your office instead of just making us heroes and sending the press to hound us?" Harry questioned, earning himself an amused expression from the man who simply nodded towards his public entrance.
"They're not very good at catching much without our direct intervention if you couldn't tell. Aside from that, I'd rather work directly with you rather than from the shadows. We can all get what we want, the world at large can benefit from it and most importantly, we won't become some sort of rogue state or one with an incredibly unstable government," Sevolf continued after a long sip from a glass of iced whiskey. "Some small manner of corruption is always going to be present, but I'd rather that be true and large-scale problems all over the place, wouldn't the two of you agree?"
Elaine was all for absolute order without the risk of people going against her, Harry knew, but she was also incredibly opportunistic. That later trait made itself known when she nodded and said very simply, "Yes."
"And how about you, Harry - do you mind if I call you Harry?" Sevolf asked, two questions in one as he reclined in his chair.
"Harry's fine, Sevolf. I guess you're right too, yeah, there's always going to be some sort of corruption. It'd be nearly impossible to route out completely and if it has to happen, better with people you can trust to work towards a common goal than those that you can't," Harry said, his mind made up and his words all but aimed at Elaine on account of that being how he'd functioned in her group for quite some time.
"Splendid, I'm glad we can all agree on that as a baseline," the man said, clapping his hands together with a meaty, wet-sounding slap that echoed slightly before he leaned forward in his chair again, his eyes darting between the two young adults. "Name your prices and I'll have my son bring in your schedules. Don't worry, they're nothing too in-depth, just something that'll aid us before too much longer. The worlds in shambles, you know."
Harry wasn't sure that he liked having a schedule made up for him without any say in the matter and one look over to Elaine showed that she definitely didn't like it, but at the end of the day, she likely figured the surrendering of that agency was ultimately for the best, for now. When the man no longer proved beneficial to know or his limit to what he could grant was surpassed, he didn't doubt that she'd let go of this new 'ally' of theirs almost immediately. Sevolf, Chief Advisor to the Minister as they continue to go, was very Snape-like in his personality and had a general feeling of gittiness.
"I was told I'd have an apprenticeship or internship at the Ministry," Elaine said, her hands folded demurely in her lap and that soft voice of hers playing wonders, as was usual when she was working an angle on a person.
"We could do far more than an apprenticeship for one of the two people who avenged a man of Albus' quality and took down the strongest wizard in a millennium," Sevolf quickly said, sliding over a stack of papers with numerous, mid-tier to junior high-level positions. "I took the liberty of checking you both out before you arrived, though I can certainly say we don't have all that much on you, Harry. Still, if you were taking aim at political happenings like your fiancee is, those positions are wonderful starting points."
With a nod, Harry looked over with only a vague interest at the papers. There were many dreams that he'd had since he'd been back in this portion of the world, most of them beneficial for the common witch or wizard, a few better for those that were treated like scum and only the occasional one for himself. After all, this wasn't his time, so who really knew what he'd end up doing? Merlin, Harry didn't even know what the end goal of his presence here was. It could be anything.
"I don't see any sort of advisor position," Elaine commented, an eyebrow raised. "If I recall correctly, the Minister lost two advisors thanks to the war. One was a traitor, the other was killed after volunteering to lead a portion of the Aurors into battle. Am I to understand those positions are sufficiently filled this soon after their opening?"
Sevolf slowly shook his head, one of his knuckles tapping on the wooden table as he looked her over. "The Minister would have to appoint you himself, but I think… if that is a position that you're after and one that you're willing to do the work whilst in, we could spin it in such a way that you aid our restoration on the Auror front."
"I was thinking my husband-to-be could work with and aid in the recreation of your Auror Corps," Elaine said, smiling at Harry before she turned her attention back to the Chief Advisor. "My abilities are more suited for working with others, overseeing projects and instituting new laws or reformations. I'm sure the Minister would like assistance in seeing the old houses restored considering that's where a majority of his power comes from, wouldn't that be correct?"
Harry could see Sevolf swallow and for all of a second, there had been a look of disdain on the man's face. As quickly as he had thought he'd seen it, however, the look was gone and in its place was again, the look of curiosity and thought. Clearly, Elaine's desire to work as one of the Minister's few advisors was precarious to the man. He was either afraid of her aspirations - which he should be considering he had her file - or he was thinking about what she would do whilst in such a position. Harry knew Elaine's work would be magnificent, it was her and to expect anything less was foolish. Perhaps Sevolf knew that too, hence his lack of willingness in the event the man didn't want to be upstaged.
"I will speak with the Minister about assigning you as one of his advisors… your youthfulness and a joint show of power could do the Minister some good with your generation," Sevolf finally said, his expression sour enough that it looked as if he'd just taken a bite out of a lemon, not that Elaine seemed to care. "As for you, Harry, there's well over a hundred positions open right this moment in the Auror Corps on account of its restructuring with the new Director, McMacson. His other man, Head Auror Urban Maxis is a good, strong guy but he doesn't want to go any higher. How about it? Deputy Director Harry Peverell sounds good, doesn't it?"
It sounds great, but what's the catch?
Harry wasn't stupid, he knew that a position that high came with an absurd amount of political power and at that same time, a lot of work. McMacson had met him once before too, the older man was considered a prodigy and had expressed direct interest in recruiting Harry that one evening. He could see himself working with the older man perfectly, not a hitch in their relationship on account of their mutual drive for good things to happen in their community.
"Sounds great, but what's the state of things over with the Aurors? I know they suffered some pretty extreme losses even after all of that new funding they got - you've only just met us, so everything's got to be a bit worse than you're letting on, I think," Harry said, showing his hand and speaking his mind as he always did.
Elaine's sharp look told him that he should have shut his mouth, but he shook his head. If they were to make allies with this man and the Minister, Harry wanted to know more about them. Why were they so desperate to secure his and Elaine's help, why are they trying to put them into such high positions and most of all, what would the general public think after getting all of those accolades?
Sevolf sighed and ran a hand across his bald head, chuckling lightly. "You're a smart lad, I'll give you credit where it's due. Figured you would have to be too, you and the Heiress Gaunt both if you took down Grindelwald," Sevolf paused to take another long sip of his whiskey and once that was done, he sagged in his seat. "Chief Advisor is a pretty insecure position, you see. It pays well, it's second only to the Minister and you can accomplish whatever you'd like… but the tradeoff is the fact that you only have the position a few months to a year under our favourite Minister. I'd like to stay where I'm at, beyond that, I'd like our country to be rebuilt and my competition not to take over. I'd rather be the biased idiot in charge of everything instead of another man that would do the job worse and without caring about the average wizarding family. Whoever works with you, wins, that's a simple truth now that you two are international stars for defeating that Dark Lord."
As soon as the man was finished speaking, Elaine tossed Harry a very smug, devious smile that told him this was exactly what she had wanted. In fairness, he had known as much and it was pretty absurd. How Professor Dumbledore had handled this, all of it, and only took a few positions with which he'd held for decades was insane. The man was impossible to corrupt and yet, here Harry was right beside Elaine seated across from the Minister's right-hand man so they could see what they could get from him.
There's a reason you're here you stupid bloke, this is all for peace. That's it. If you can get Elaine what she wants, limit her violence and keep this affection going, everything's right as rain - she even admitted her nervousness, held onto me… she's good.
"Harry will always do what's best for our country and I'll work to make whatever I'm assigned, the best that it can be," Elaine said, her smile and voice as innocently cute as it had previously been even as her right hand used the cover of the table to rub his left thing.
"It's a deal, then," Sevolf said, sighing and motioning towards a stack of papers. "I'll take care of the paperwork part of it later, but for now, I think the two of you have gotten what you want. Don't forget to visit my son for your schedule before you leave, he's forgotten to come in, it would seem."
Not even five minutes later, they were back on the staircase and this time around, completely alone. It was a hell of a lot easier to hold a conversation under those conditions than it had been with nearly one-hundred people trailing after them in the pain atrium of the Ministry.
"Say what you'd like to say now, my love," Elaine said, smiling victoriously as her eyes took in more of the staircase this time around.
"That was far too easy and we shouldn't have accepted without our schedule in hand. I mean, come on, what about when Hogwarts is all over and we have to go back, right?" Harry shook his head, silently cursing the name Grindelwald as he did. "Seriously, we won't be able to keep our positions once the year resumes and our positions would have to be filled. What then? Why did he even agree so readily?"
"He agreed so quickly because he was desperate. You heard the man as clearly as I did, he seeks to retain his political power whilst expanding his influence by making us appear as his allies. I'll speak with those whose families are already loyal to me to see what they should think, but if this went on for a year or two, I think I would be able to usurp enough control from his grasp and overthrow him," Elaine pressed into him then, their shoulders touching as she leaned closer to press a soft kiss to his cheek. "Everything is happening far faster than I thought it would, really, than I hoped it would, but our two greatest -by far - opponents, are no longer able to interfere; Grindelwald's gone and I'm sorry Harry, so too is Professor Dumbledore."
Harry looked visibly distraught at the lack of the man's life but they continued on, their minds set up on a meeting with Corene while Harry sulked, inwardly feeling as sorrowful as he had when he first learned of the man's passing. It was truly a horribly difficult thing to process and the visions of gore as well as the long list of the deceased, only made those feelings stronger.
He hated it. Harry didn't want to close his eyes and see those who had died, he didn't want to see the flash of green before Dumbledore was gone and he didn't want to play politics in order to help people.
It was so terribly stupid that in order to do good, some level of bad or ineptitude, anything of that nature, was required.
January 24, 1945
Sunday Night
Harry and Elaine were home, dressed casually - but tastefully - and ready to visit their closest friend, Corene. Already, the couples day had been trying, especially politically and there was still so much work that needed doing, but Corene had to come first. Elaine tried her best to hide how she felt, but it came to a point where it was obvious. Her eagerness to have a conversation as a family member of Corene in comparison to one as a peer or tutor was almost… cute.
It would have been totally so if Elaine wasn't still a tad bit angry with their friend for hiding the fact as long as she had even if it was somewhat understandable. In his opinion, what annoyed Elaine more than Corene having hidden that fact was the one in which she went to Harry about it first. Not only had she done that, but she had increasingly sought out Harry for advice or news instead of Elaine. All of that combined likely painted a new, negative and untrustworthy look for Corene.
"What're you planning once we arrive?" Harry asked, his hands ensuring his collar was nice and straightened out while Elaine stood as still as a statue in front of her dresser.
Her dresser, Harry nearly chuckled at the thought, It was less than one year, six months really, and she'd already moved a few of her belongings over to my home. Reckon it won't be all that much longer before she moves everything else, but that definitely makes me curious about her father again.
"What was that?" Elaine asked, not even bothering to look over her shoulder in his direction as she responded.
"I asked what you were planning to do once we saw Corene," Harry repeated, satisfied that he looked alright enough to see Corene's family and finally moving a bit closer to Elaine, settling on a chair that gave him a good view of her back. "You don't do anything without a plan, I bet you'd already figured how today was going to go with Sevolf since you haven't said all that much else since we got home. It's still weird how easily he's moved us into these positions, at least I think so."
Elaine turned then, a beautiful, charming smile on her face. "We're Merlin and Morgana come again, only this time around, my Merlin won't be leaving my side. Together, as equals, we'll fix everything that we deem necessary. It'll be wonderful, it already is - we're heroes, our names will be said a thousand years from now."
"Doesn't matter all that much if we won't be around," Harry muttered, shaking his head and missing a look from Elaine that could've offered a bit of insight as to her thoughts on that specific matter; she responded again, only a few seconds later.
"You were right, as you've grown increasingly proficient in reading me. I had figured we would be offered accolades, payment and perhaps even Wizengamot privileges beyond that of the typical member, but I didn't expect that we'd be able to syphon such high positions in the Ministry. It'll certainly make everything very easy to maintain and set up if we're given such a degree of political power, that's not to mention our Orders of Merlin that we'll be getting," Elaine pressed a spot on her chest, already likely envisioning herself with innumerable accolades before the first was even handed over to her. "Since you asked like my perfect good boy and I'm feeling exceptionally nice, I'll confirm your query about our conversation and meeting with Corene insofar that, yes, I have a plan. Your protection of her won't see any punishment, not since you'd withhold your affection and I'd be forced into other concessions lest I potion you, but I'll be wary of her for quite some time."
"Potion me?" Harry asked, caught on that particular portion of her speaking.
Elaine's eyes seemed darker, their deep chocolate-like colour seemingly black thanks to the lack of light in their bedroom. "Your affinity to resist mind-magic and other, similar effects hasn't been lost on me. I doubt a Veela could charm you any more than a Siren could, yet you've fallen for a serpent with a nice tongue, haven't you?" Elaine swiped that serpent tongue of hers across her lips, the cosmetics she'd used staying perfectly in place as she practically slithered over to him, the picture of a seductress even though he was already firmly in her palm. "Hogwarts isn't necessary for us any longer, which means in the next year or two, we'll have a future to plan and in the short term, many a grand guest to entertain… you'll make a wonderful dad for our seven children."
Harry had followed along well enough even as she'd come over to come and started caressing his chest and shoulders. He had gotten accustomed to her soft touches, ones that spoke of carnal promises even if they'd yet to take that final path in their relationship. It had been difficult, very difficult indeed, but he had paid enough attention to hear everything until the part about their 'seven' children came up.
Once that came about, he was very lost and very ready to bugger off over to Corene's place. He couldn't say as much on account of the panic that was going through him, Elaine's lick along his neck didn't help the matter any either - her crazy moments never helped him.
"Floo."
That was the only word he got out, stupid-sounding and mumbled. Five seconds later and with a hand full of powder, he was off to Corene's with two noticeable problems, one of which he hoped wouldn't scare the typically emotionless girl away.
Nearly a minute later, with Harry firmly on one of the couches and Elaine on his lap despite the potential for a vaguely formal meeting, Corene entered the room. She was dressed up, which wasn't all that surprising when he considered Corene always dressed as was expected of her. He admired that trait of hers more than many of the others, as it seemed like Corene always knew what to do regardless of the situation.
Whether it was a dance or a meeting, date or a battle, the girl always knew how to act, what to say and what to wear. He bet that her mind was so organised or somehow automated that she seldom needed to think, hence her quick answers in an old-fashioned type of English.
"Hello, Harry, Hello Elaine," Corene greeted, a curtsey given to the two before she cocked her head at them and gestured towards the door she'd just come in through. "Food has been prepared, drinks of all types are alongside them and that wing should be entirely under my control for our assuredly heavy conversation. Is there anything you'd like to ask or know politically before we take our leave here? Congratulations to you both as well, I have heard through my father that you've both been granted high positions should you formally accept them."
Merlin, Corene really does stay caught up, huh?
"What has your father heard in regards to the Minister, this Chief Advisor and the general state of our Government? There's a reason that we've been offered these positions with a condition being that we appear in Ministry propaganda pieces, but I'd like to know the extent of the ruin we've gotten ourselves entangled with," Elaine asked, an eyebrow arched as she slid out of her seat and beside the now standing Harry, one of her arms looping through his without so much as a glance or second thought.
"The Minister is due to step down now that the war is over and his declining mental capabilities can become more apparent without a war to distract the majority of our population. Chief Advisor Sevolf, as he prefers to be called by his first name instead of his family name, wisely had the Minister agree to a lengthy leave of absence in the hopes of patching the many holes in the sinking Ministry ship - that is the phrase my father used, but needless to say, the Ministry has too many openings and not enough people willing to fill them on account of the rampant issues that were left alone for nearly three years," Corene brought a single finger up to her lips in thought, then she cocked her head further to one side. "Three years depending on the faction you align with. Thirty-four is what one side claims, twelve for the second main faction and for ours, three is the correct assumption."
"How many positions are open and if your father has access to it, what is the state of the economy?" Those were likely Elaine's final questions of a serious nature, he guessed, since she was starting to look at Corene with that earlier eagerness shining through.
"Father claims that the gold reserves have been spent in excess of seventy per cent, but that isn't able to be verified until the Minister or his Chief Advisor permit a group to take an accounting of the vault. Gringotts only holds a portion of our true reserve, as the potential for wars with the Goblins have been high many times, enough to warrant a hidden vault at the base of the Ministry. In terms of open positions, which is something as equally unknown in terms of a complete number, my father believes half, if not slightly more, are vacant at this point in time," Corene finished and took in a breath that was slightly louder than usual of her, she seemed to wince too, which immediately made Harry divert their line of questioning to a more personal, friendly sort regardless of Elaine's previous plans or earlier look.
His question was simple, straight to the point and one that he hoped Corene would take as more than something at surface level. "Are you alright?"
Elaine had looked about ready to speak, but she chose to stay silent and watch Corene, her eyes narrowing in on a spot that was just south of Corene's heart. He hadn't noticed her wince whilst they were on the field, nor had he seen it whilst they were waiting for the Minister's appearance or even when she'd initially greeted them. Corene was good at hiding much, he'd known that for quite some time, which was why… he wasn't sure how she'd let that slip. Not unless it had been intentional, but if that were the case, it was a very Elaine action to take.
"I had a wound, only one, and it's been slow to recover. In short, my health is sufficient enough to continue my usual lifestyle, but your concern is very appreciated, both of you," Corene said, swallowing and dipping her head once at the both of them. "I have the list that you both requested, my apologies for its lateness. Some of those who had fallen were hard to identify and required records to be pulled, but it's in an envelope at your seat. I've taken the liberty of adding another list too, albeit one that isn't half as sorrowful to read."
Harry was well happy with the second list so long as it wasn't as depressing as the one he'd asked for would be. He was happier still that Elaine hadn't done something crazy or rude, but most of all, as selfish as it sounded, Harry was happy that his friends had come through without a single loss.
He hoped that wasn't a negative influence of their group, he'd make sure the fallen were looked after, their families too… but Merlin, it was a relief that the worst injury of them all was a minor one on Corene's chest.