The Next Adventure

Ministry of Magic

"...and that is why we should not lay down our defence now that the so called Dark Lord is gone, but we should act right away to capture his followers that got away." Fleamont said from his wooden stand. He picked up all of the papers laying on the board in front of him and put them inside a brown briefcase. He was ready to get down of the stand and go back to his original seat, behind the judge's-like board, when a high old female voice from the other side of the grand auditorium froze him at his spot.

"And how exactly do you propose we do that, Mr McAllister?" an old wrinkled lady with bleached brown hair was standing in front of her seat, her hands on the wooden table, looking with her cold blue eyes Fleamont Potter.

He stopped, sighting out of annoyance that his old nemesis had once again placed a barrier on the continuance of his plans. During the past year, each time she questioned his actions, he was questioning even more her loyalty to the Ministry. But besides being annoying, she haven't done anything worth to be trialled for...yet.

"Perhaps your honor didn't hear me. I will repeat my question, How does his honor the Minister propose we capture Voldemort's followers when they could be anywhere, not just in America,but in the world!?"

Fleamont turned slowly around and looked the old lady in the eyes, something most of people avoided due to her cold look.

"We search, Babayaga. We cooperate with our brothers and sisters from the Ministry of Magic across the Atlantic and we search."

Whispers echoed in the previously quiet room. The two Ministries didn't exactly have the best relations all these years. On the contrary, they were disagreeing in most of things, while the American Ministry of Magic was more then displeased with Voldemort's restoration to life and with the British Ministry's lack of actions.

"Now, now." Fleamont interrupted the crowd. "I am aware that the two Ministries had some trouble getting along during the past years, but we can all unite under a common cause."

"AND what makes you think that the new Minister of Magic there, will cooperate?" Babayaga said arrogantly.

Once again whispers filled the room. But Fleamont knew exactly what to do to draw the votes of the counsil back to his plan.

"He's not afraid." He said loudly, but still calmly and confidently.

The members of the council instantly stopped talking and looked curiously at their Minister.
Fleamont, seeing that he had achieved in capturing their attention, continued his thoughts.

"Fudge as you well know didn't do anything to stop You-know-Who until it was too late. But the question is why, Why, ladies and gentlemen, didn't Fudge act in time? Because, HE WAS AFRAID. He was afraid of He-who-must-not-be-named's rise to power. He kept refusing the fact that the Dark Lord was back, trying to make that thought real. But of course that wasn't possible, and now we are were we are. But people, we can trust the new Minister, because he understands what's wrong and he has learned by the past's mistakes."

When he had finished, none of the other members of the council was willing to oppose his statement.

After a few moments of silence, a man in a black robe around 40 years old, stood up and said:
"All those in favour of a cooperation between the two Ministries to capture the the Dark Lord's followers..."

At first, no one was brave enough to lift his hand but the one who had.called the vote. Then, tentatively, more and more council members lifted their hands as well, until only Babayaga was left.

"All against?"the man continued.

Babayaga lifted her skiny, wrinkly arm high above, for everyone to see.
But no one else was willing to join her way of thinking this time.

She rolled her eyes and sighted with disappointment. She hadn't managed to convince the council members to disapprove Fleamont's plan. She didn't even suggest her own plan. But if she had learned one thing during her long life of adventure, it would be this: patience is the most remarkable and valuable of gifts...

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"Fleamont!"

A female voice echoed in the now empty conference auditorium. It was sweet and friendly, but at the same time cold and warning.

The Minister pretented he hadn't heard his name and continued collecting his paper sheets from the table. Everyone else had left the room as soon as the meeting was over, leaving behind the two rivals. Fleamont could see his nemesis looking ragiously at him from across the room but decided it best to not pick a fight about her questionable loyalty to the Ministry.

But the old witch wasn't about to give up so easily. She stood up, walked across the room and with her hands on her hips and a mischievous smile said to the Minister, mockingly:

"Maybe you should have some tea, dearest colleague, you seem to speak so quietly even I can hear you."

Fleamont tightened his fists and took a deep breath. But the old Babayaga continued...

"Could be the meeting you know, speaking to a crowd that doesn't want to hear from you must be exhausting..."

Fleamont stood up as well, looked Babayaga in the eyes and said proudly:

"If I recall, you lost."

After that he looked away and said:

"But despite what you might think, I don't care you lost today, because it's you. I care you lost because now we can do some good to our people, by eliminating the threat, and not by just standing there ALLOWING the threat to eliminate them."

Babayaga crossed her arms and said defensively:

"You're implying..."

"That you want Voldemort's followers to succeed in whatever they're planning!"
Fleamont could stop himself from saying that. He didn't care if she was going to kill him right there and now because she now was aware he was on to her. He felt betrayed and he could never prevend his heart from taking control of his words.

Babayaga sighted. She looked Fleamont in the eyes and said as unexpresionedly as she could:

"I guess people do change."

She turned around and walked towards the door, but a few steps behind she stoped and said without even turning around:

"I did love you. You've asked me the last time we actually talked. I did love you, and I still do.Well, there you go. You got your answer. Be grateful."

And with that some tears fell from her sparkly blue eyes, perhaps her only characteristic that haven't changed during her aging, and she exited.

Fleamont was left alone in the room. He turned his back on the door and plaaced his hands on the wall. He took a deep breath and whispered dissapointedly.

"So did I. Once."