When the Roses Bloom Again by TheBlack'sResurgence

Chapter 70

The Cold on my Cheek

For Harry, what was supposed to have been a reprieve from the war on the continent had been little but. From attending the gathering with the Wizengamot to the impending meeting with the muggle Prime Minister, resting had been far from his mind.

Of course, he'd spent as much time with Minerva as they were afforded with her own work schedule, but Harry had found that being idle and left alone with his thoughts was not what he wanted.

Instead, he had busied himself with contacting those seeking investment, and trying to learn more about his shadowy companion.

The snake had yet to show itself, likely choosing to grow stronger before doing so, but Harry was acutely aware of its presence.

It wasn't invasive as he had expected when Scamander had explained what he needed to do, but it was there, always on the edge of his consciousness as he went about his day.

Oddly, it seemed to react to his emotions, and right now, it was quite restless, squirming around irritably as Harry flared his nostrils at the headline in The Daily Prophet.

Spain Burns as Grindelwald Invades!

Harry had expected this to come, had even warned Charlus of the likelihood, but even having anticipated the move, it did nothing to soften the blow. This would appear to be nothing more than another defeat that the ICW had suffered.

With a shake of his head, he pushed the paper away, followed by his plate of eggs and bacon, his appetite having vanished.

Theseus helped himself to a few rashers, barking approvingly, and Harry absentmindedly ran his fingers through the owl's feathers, a deep frown marring his features.

He knew that when he returned to the trenches in only a couple of days, he would need to proceed with his plan to move east and relieve some of the other countries near to Belgium that had been suffering under Grindelwald's regime.

He would likely take Holland next, but he would not bother with either Germany or Austria for the time being.

Evidently, they were quite unanimous in their support of the man who had seized control of their lands, so much so that many had volunteered to fight for him.

Harry had known of Germany's loyalties long ago, but he had received his first report from Summerbee on this morning, and as informative as it was, it was not the news he'd wanted.

G. has a prison in the north of Austrian Alps. Unable to enter but it seems unguarded. Seen him enter, but no luck finding any trace of Weber here. Will go to Germany next.

E.

The woman had been gone for some time now, and though Harry was not expecting miracles, he could certainly use one.

Grindelwald was winning this war, and if things didn't begin to change soon, he might well become unstoppable.

Releasing a deep breath, he cleaned his plate with a wave of his wand and stood.

He had two meetings to attend today for his investments, and then this evening, he had been invited to have dinner with his former classmates, something he was looking forward to, even if he doubted he would be good company.