Blood of the Moon {Remus Lupin}

Chapter 24

Fun drinking game! Take a shot every time I use the word committee. (Actually please don't do this the hospitals are overrun as it is) :)

 Auriga sighed as she stood from her desk and left the room to head downstairs to the Department for Magical Games and Sports. She had another meeting with the Durmstrang, Beauxbatons, and Hogwarts representatives, and time was becoming short. It was May, and they wanted the tournament set up and running by September, ready for the start of the school year. They'd finally decided how many students the two international schools would be allowed to bring (twelve each) but now they were onto the safety regulations of the three tasks, a tedious yet important job, and one that Auriga wasn't particularly fond of. It all seemed so unnecessary given the current Black situation. But as Dumbledore said, "All the more reason to secure international relations." What annoyed Auriga the most was that he was right. That was why she'd come to this department in the first place.

 Auriga stepped out the lift into the colourful and loud corridor and saw Karkaroff and another long-nosed professor conversing in quiet German up ahead. "...that Malfoy girl makes me nervous," Karkaroff was saying. "Keep an eye on her will you? I don't like the idea of rekindling the relationship with her father."

"Yes, sir," said the other Durmstrang professor.

"Hello," said Auriga in German as she reached the doorway to the conference room with them, and she dodged a quaffle that had been launched across the corridor. "I trust your trip was smooth?"

 Karkaroff looked taken aback, and the other professor turned a shade of red-purple. "I...uh...yes," Karkaroff stammered, glaring at her. "Fine."

"Good," said Auriga, mentally congratulating herself. 'That Malfoy girl' had balls of solid rock, and she was unafraid to show it. She stepped past them and into the conference room, where Bagman was happily chatting away to Maxine, and a girl who barely looked old enough to be working. Merlin - she could still be a student.

"Ah, Auriga!" said Bagman loudly, and she hurriedly sat down in her seat. "Good to see you again. Madame Maxine's brought on of her students - a bit of work experience. I hope you don't mind?"

"You've brought an intern as your committee member?" Auriga asked with a frown. Today they were supposed to be selecting the committee members who would arrange the tasks. They'd have to sign a magical contract saying they wouldn't disclose any information, but the magic wouldn't properly work unless the witch or wizard was of age.

"Committee member?" Maxine asked, returning the frown. Auriga noticed Karkaroff was doing the same, and Bagman had gone very quiet. He'd forgotten to owl the school heads about it.

"Yes," Auriga said, smiling through the pain, "We're setting up the task committee today. Each headmaster or mistress may select a witch or wizard to go on the committee, where they will discuss the tasks ahead and arrange it with the appropriate Ministrys of Magic."

"We have not brought any committee members," said Karkaroff, stepping forward. "We were not told!"

"Good afternoon," said Dumbledore cheerily as he walked into the room, emerald green robes and white beard billowing.

"Eet most certainly is not!" said Maxine, throwing a perfect French hissy-fit. Honestly, how did these people ever become teachers? They had a tantrum at every possible obstacle.

"There's no need to worry," said Auriga, standing back up and eyeing Bagman's panicked face. "The owls failed to deliver the message regarding the members of the task committee," she explained to Dumbledore. His eyes flicked to Bagman for a moment and then back to Auriga. Bagman sighed in relief; Auriga was going to dig him out of his mess again.

"Oh dear," said Dumbledore, calmly taking a seat.

"Well, no matter," Auriga said, following suit. Slowly, everyone else sat at the conference table, all looking around suspiciously. "We can sort that out next time. Shall we say...two weeks? I'll have Mr Crouch's assistant send an owl to each of you with the exact details." There were murmurs of agreement and Auriga smiled. Toby, while a soggy ham sandwich, would at least remember to send the owls. "Excellent," Auriga said, smiling further and folding her hands. "Today we can talk about the transportation methods? What would be the easiest way to get your students to Hogwarts?"

*****

Tap. Tap. Tap. Auriga almost jumped out of bed when she heard the owl at her window. She rushed over, gave it a treat without looking, and tore open the note.

 Black at Hogwarts again. Seamington's not answering his owl. You need to meet us there. They've caught him.

Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt

 Auriga gasped at first, and then darted over to her wardrobe, pulling on a set of plain black robes that she'd yet to hang up. They'd actually caught him! Finally! She dragged a brush through her hair and tied it into a ponytail, grabbed her wand and darted downstairs and out the front door. She hadn't even properly fastened her cloak by the time she'd disapparated to the front gates of Hogwarts. Two dementors flanked it, and she could feel the chilling presence of many more, so she conjured her scops owl patronus, allowing it to circle and warm her.

 She waited. And waited. And waited. Finally, there were three more cracks and Shacklebolt arrived with Fudge and a man she recognised as Macnair, one of her father's friends. "Auriga, thank goodness it's you," said Fudge, and Shacklebolt forced a smile in her direction. "I think Dumbledore said...yes, here she is." Sure enough, another silvery patronus was igniting the gates in front of them. A tabby cat, shortly followed by Professor McGonagall.

 "Good evening," she said stiffly as the gates swung open and the group passed through.

"Good evening, Minerva," Fudge said pleasantly. "Go and find a spare dementor will you, Macnair?"

"Yes, Minister," came Macnair's gruff voice, before he disappeared into the darkness.

"And why might you need a dementor?" McGonagall asked. Auriga and Shacklebolt exchanged a concerned look through the wandlight.

"The punishment for escaping Azkaban is the dementor's kiss," Shacklebolt explained, and Auriga saw McGonagall stiffen. "It will be performed immediately."

"And quite rightly too," said Fudge, "Black has spent the last year making fools of the Ministry."

"I must say, I am relieved I won't have to attend quite so many meeting with the French," Auriga said as they walked up the front steps.

"Well, Minister," said McGonagall, "You ought to know that your dementors attacked a number of students along with Black. Harry Potter and Hermione Granger? Certainly that will make a fool of you when it gets to the Prophet."

"I'm sure Mr Potter and Miss Granger will recover," said Auriga quickly. "Unless they themselves were kissed?"

"No," said McGonagall, "Fortunately there was a member of staff present to prevent that. But it's hardly the point-"

"I think maybe we should ask them what they remember," said Shacklebolt. Auriga could see what he was doing - stop McGonagall digging herself out of favour with Fudge. But for now, she had bigger problems.