Vagary

{Twenty-Five}

No one had ever seen the Minister of Magic so cold and calculating before. All mercy had been called off, not a hair was out of place (which for a Potter was unheard of), and everyone who could report was currently at the ministry.

Pettigrew had been declared Undesirable Number One, founded on his terms that James resign and his want to put their world back into magical lockdown... not to mention he was on his second abduction.

Magic-folk had enjoyed the larger ease of relationships with muggles, keeping the statute of secrecy in place with utmost concern, but also allowing muggleborns to have simpler relationships with their parents, parents of half-bloods to explain to their spouses the expectations of the future, and any muggle relation since had benefitted too.

In short, James knew he was not the enemy.

Through the duration of the entire night the auror department formulated their rescue plan for Mrs. Potter. Pettigrew was a convoluted threat, if not particularly dangerous or deadly, and everyone involved or not wanted it done and over with before anyone else got hurt.

The extraction unit was to head off in the early afternoon in hopes of wielding the weapon of surprise, if James himself going on the mission didn't finally sink Pettigrew to his knees in understanding, half the aurors in the DMLE should.

Patley Pond was the lead auror on the case (not the head of the department but his next-in-line) and had warned a select few on his staff that Pettigrew was to come back alive to serve for his crimes. Their job was simple: to keep the minister in check just in case things got a little too out of hand.

It was a thunderous landing in Rye on that brisk Saturday morning, south of London as opposed to Pettigrew's last place of hiding in Lancashire way up north. It would have been stupid to pick the same place to hide away in, especially considering he destroyed that house, but going the exact opposite way was just as predictable.

Pond dismounted his broom and stood next to James, looking at where the tracing had led them all, a mere note taped to the door of the empty house.

At least a few hundred spells were cast before anyone was allowed to take it off, or even approach.

James tugged it down and nodded, having anticipated they would relocate once Wormtail had a better source of untraceable transportation. Whether or not Lily was actually with him would be the mystery. The note read:

Not here. If I see your resignation, I'll personally bring her to the ministry. Otherwise, good luck.

They debated for a short while what to do next, as James fidgeted on the edge of the group. Hoping not to have to incriminate himself, he faulted back onto a long-ago tracking spell that he'd put on Lily when he became Minister. It wasn't exactly illegal, but it was old blood magic that had been just a precaution for situations exactly like this one. Frankly, he and his family were in danger when he held such a role, and having protection was of the utmost importance.

Finding a dead end on the first try meant James was willing to enact almost anything.

Of course, blood magic meant he would need his own blood, so letting the aurors do this route first had been a no-brainer. Not to mention it would cause Lily a bender of a headache.

At least she knew the spell was there, was probably expecting it at any point, if not disappointed he hadn't tried it sooner.

"Pond," James signaled him over, aurors around them hushing to listen, although attempting to look busy. He handed Pond the note. "I'm going to do what we talked about earlier with Jonesquin."

Patley only glared.

The rest of the aurors looked resigned if not frustrated knowing there was no way to stop him as James sliced his wand in a quick movement over his left forearm, a vial thrust before him in a moment. A field healer immediately healed him once it was full, and plowing through like an erumpet, James held out the corked vial into the open and cast the blood spell, apologizing to the wind and Lily for the headache.