"Lord Olario," Edmund Bones was the first person Antonio encountered as soon as he arrived at the entrance of the Ministry building.
"Lord Bones," Antonio greeted back with a polite nod.
"How have you been these past few days?" Edmund questioned. "And from what I read in the newspapers and heard of the rumours, I assume that your business regarding Miss Sinistra went well."
"I have been absolutely fine, and yes, everything went according to plan," Antonio replied. "And I must thank you for the fine idea that you provided to me. I am grateful for it."
Edmund waved his hands in denial.
"I hardly did anything," he said. "It was you who had to act on my idea, and you did. You are the one who made the difference. Ideas without implementations are useless."
"But in the process, you made an enemy out of the Timirus family," he continued. "And though I am not very close to them, I can assure you that the Timirus family is an extremely vengeful lot."
"They are not going to take this insult lightly and will try to get back at you by any means possible. You can expect them to be as depraved and degenerate as possible. Be aware of them."
"They are the real low lives," he whispered with a chuckle and Antonio nodded his head in response. He had his own plans for the Timirus family.
The duo stepped through the Ministry towards the council hall.
"Lord Olario," Edmund said, his voice a bit serious. "What do you think of the recent events that have been happening in Wizarding Britain?"
"You mean the two incidents of Death Eaters being killed?" Antonio responded with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes," Edmund nodded.
"I have a lot of opinions about it," Antonio replied. "But I assume that you are wondering if I also think, like the rest of Wizarding Britain, that Albus Dumbledore is related to both the incidents?"
Edmund nodded his head in response.
"Well, to be honest," Antonio continued. "I can see Dumbledore's footprints in at least one of the incidents."
He did not explain which one. He was the one who had caused the second incident, after all.
Edmund nodded as he said, "It seems like Headmaster Dumbledore is really making his moves."
"It does look like this," Antonio replied.
"Maybe I will ask Headmaster Dumbledore myself about it," he added in a moment of humour.
"Then you would not get the chance today," Edmund replied, a smile returning to his lips.
"What do you mean?" Antonio questioned.
"You did not know?" Edmund asked in slight astonishment. "Today there is an international conference of Wizards and Witches. And as the Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Dumbledore has gone for that event."
"Oh!" Antonio replied, his steps slowing for a bit.
"Yes," Edmund added. "And in his absence, someone else will be acting as Chief Warlock in the Wizengamot session. Probably Madame Marchbanks because of her vast experience."
"Is there something the matter?" Edmund questioned, seeing Antonio slowing down.
"No," he replied, picking back his pace.
"Is it usual for a Wizengamot session and an international conference to be called upon the same day?" Antonio questioned further.
"No, not really," Edmund replied with a shake of his head. "The Ministry generally avoids a Wizengamot session on the day an international conference is planned, but it is not that it has not happened ever."
"It has happened a few times in the past, too. You know, some important occasion or something else. Maybe this time they did not want to delay it because of Rodolphus Lestrange's induction. It has already been quite delayed and probably Rodolphus wanted it to happen on this day itself."
Antonio nodded in understanding.
"What of Rodolphus?" he questioned. "I assume that the attack by Reinhart Lestrange and his killing, supposedly at your hands, must have created a deep animosity between the two families."
"It has, no doubt about it," Edmund said. "But as you know, a son cannot be condemned for the crime of his father. And even if the entire world knows that Rodolphus Lestrange is equally entangled and embedded in this Death Eater business, he will deny it to our faces, and we cannot do anything about it."
"And being the good person I am, people expect me to act with maturity, not to take out my anger and frustration on Rodolphus. So, though I will not be giving hugs and shaking hands with Rodolphus, I cannot and will not be showing open hostility to him."
"Even so," Edmund continued. "I will ask him, in fact, request him in a dignified manner, that he at least issues an apology to me in the name of the Lestrange family, acknowledging that their previous Lord did such a deed."
"I do not think Rodolphus will do this," Antonio remarked. "You can let go of this hostility, but I doubt that Rodolphus will think in the same manner."
"His father has been killed, after all. He will not consider the fact that it was Reinhart who had been invading someone else's house."
"Oh!" Edmund chuckled. "Rodolphus might surprise you."
"What do you mean?" Antonio questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"You are assuming the worst of Rodolphus," Edmund replied. "And it is indeed true about him, that lad, though good with a wand, hardly has any political acumen."
"But! But…" he continued with a snarky expression. "We are not sure if it is he who is in full control."
"What do you mean?" Antonio repeated the same question.
"You do not know of Penalia, do you?" Edmund questioned back.
"Lady Lestrange? Rodolphus' mother?" Antonio responded. He had heard that name, but he did not understand what she had to do with all this.
"Yes," Edmund said. "We were batchmates at Hogwarts. Penalia is a brilliant lady."
"A tactical genius with top tier political acumen. Her grasp on the understanding and implications of any situation is extraordinary. She always knew what to do and what not to do. Manipulation. Cleverness. Planning. Everything you can think of. She is great at it. Playing games and being a puppeteer."
"Now, I do not know if she is willing to engage in politics or not after the death of her husband, or how much influence Rodolphus will allow his mother to wield on him, but if she is actively engaging with Rodolphus, he might surprise us all going forward."
"I am not saying that Penalia will easily agree to an apology or something like that. The matter would be about the Lestrange family pride, after all," he continued.
"But… Rodolphus' reaction to my demand might be very well thought out, and he will carry himself like a politically sensitive man."
"You are getting what I am saying?" Edmund asked.
"I am," Antonio whispered.
Now things were looking clear to him. The motivational speech Rodolphus had given to the Death Eaters. The way he had led the attack on Hogsmeade. The way he had acted in front of Voldemort in the gathering after the attack.
Antonio had seen it all in the memories of Death Eaters he had ambushed. He had been a bit surprised seeing Rodolphus like that, but he had attributed the changes to the death of his father. But now he understood it all. It had been Penalia pulling the strings.
Rodolphus was not really that smart to pull something like that.
By that time, the duo was already on the gates of the atrium of the Wizengamot hall. Antonio pushed open the doors and both of them stepped inside.
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