For Honour

“… Yeah, I don’t think that was butter beer. But that will do.”

“As long as it has alcohol in it, my friend, there is minimal room for complaint.” He went on to sip on his own beverage, feeling it relax his muscles as he let out a tiny sigh. Definitely wasn’t his preferred drinking, but after a long day at work, just about anything would do.

Al made money from odd jobs here and there when he wasn’t playing the role of vigilante, usually doing grunt work for cash. It wasn’t much but it kept him busy, and usually the people who hired him were not the same people that wanted him dead. It was nothing glamorous but neither was he - and it was the most a code 4 of his reputation could ask for.

Still, the new Ministry kept close tabs on everyone they didn’t approve of, and he was no exception. The fact that he was so easy to find disgusted him.

A flash of movement caught the corner of his eye and he sighed, keeping at his work. “ Looking for something? ”

Already having changed out of his work clothes (normally his first priority after leaving the Ministry), Edgar glanced at Alastor with his arms crossed over his chest instinctively. It was one of those sights that kept him going, the reminder that he needed to do more - someone of his talent and caliber having to resort to little jobs in order to afford to live. Everyone knew how backwards their world truly was, but it was these tiny moments that really served as a wake up call. 

“What, I can’t observe my fearless leader in action?” He jabbed, his infamous crooked grin crossing his face. “I was looking for a man, ye high, hair that is in need of a cut, broody and moody? Perhaps you’ve seen him?”

It depends on the situation, really. When it comes to work, Edgar is put together. He shows up on time, and he always wears a form-fitting suit (which if you ask him, he’ll remark on how amazing he looks in it). He thinks it helps him fit in more, takes some eyes off of him - not an easy feat, considering he’s already a code 3.

“Look, let’s be honest here - I have tons of good traits, and I basically look like a God. It wouldn’t be fair for me to be one hundred percent perfect, so I had to throw a flaw in there. I drink excessively because it’s the right thing to do.”

❝We’re still the only ones who think we’re funny.❞

❝Darling, i’d marry you for your money in a minute.❞

❝Don’t take me home until i’m drunk.❞

Marlene looked at the wall for a moment longer, the anguish she was feeling still taking over her. The guilt that she hadn’t gotten there five minutes earlier coursing through her veins. ‘’If I’d come sooner, I… we could have…’’ Marlene wiped the tears from her face shaking her head. ‘’I know, I know, i just feel useless sometimes.’’ she thought for a moment before she punched the wall, turning around to face Edgar, ‘’These were good people who didn’t deserve this, and those bastards took everything away from them!’’ 

This was a place he had been many times before, a scene that could be played out by memory. Grief was a constant in their life, something that consumed moments and could tear apart even the strongest of people. The best thing to do was let them get it out and try to talk them down. To let the grief take over and... push it aside until the next event came along. “I know,” he whispered, leaning against the nearest wall with crossed arms, one foot propped up against it behind him. “We can’t save everyone, Marlene. We do the best we can, we fight today so that this doesn’t keep happening. So that people don’t keep dying. It’s important to focus on that. Every battle, no matter how unfortunate and terrible, has casualties. Don’t focus on those. Focus on who you have saved.”

Emmeline’s voice failed her as she stared at the wall opposite her. There was an empty feeling deep in the pit of her stomach and a dull ache that overtook her body. Her Gran had been the only person to be there consistently for as long as Emmeline could remember, and now she was gone. It wasn’t as though Emmeline being there would have stopped anything, but nevertheless she felt guilty. Gran had always been there and lately, all Emmeline had been able to do was work. ❝What am I supposed to do?❞

Drawing in a deep breath, Edgar folded his hands in his lip, eyes travelling down to focus on them. It was a loaded question, one that brought up heaps of unwelcome memories, of sorrow and drinking and feeling lost. He had managed to stay together because he had to, because he had Amelia. Emmeline...didn’t, so all he could do was make sure that she understood that she had him. That he understood. “You... live with it,” he whispered, realizing how terrible that sounded and immediately rushing out the rest of his thoughts. “You live with it, because you will never get over it. Losing someone is like losing a part of yourself, like there’s this... hole in you know. You can patch it up but it’ll never fill up again. So you learn how to survive with the hole, because that’s all you can do, really. That’s what she would want you to do.”

“See, that’s the thing. I’m not totally sure. He was in such a panic, I could barely get anything out of him. But I was quite sure I heard him say ‘spell’, so that’s where I sent him.” She shrugged. “I have no idea. My job only consists of smiling and pointing. It’s not boring, though!”

Nodding slightly in understanding, Edgar attempted to figure out which spell exactly could have such an outcome. As someone who had gotten themselves into a fair amount of conundrums, he knew that asking questions would only lead to more. “I’m sure it’s not, Ames,” he remarked in a reassuring tone, making sure to smile at his sister. “These days I’d prefer your job, trust me. Yaxley has us up to our ears in obliviating, though I’m not sure why. He’s making us erase Death Eater attacks from muggles but he just...keeps attacking them. It’s a little exhausting.”

She had to gently bite the inside of her cheek to prevent a smile taking shape. ❝Always so full of yourself, aren’t you?❞ Pausing at the door, she shook her head slowly. If there was ever someone with more of a flair for the dramatic, she would likely never encounter them. ❝Wound you, or your   e g o? It’s a miracle you haven’t yet floated off into space.❞ Carefully, she pushed him back through the door and pulled it closed behind her. 

As he spoke of being in need of a break from paperwork, Emmeline gave him a knowing look, nodding along. The Ministry had changed over the years; there was no denying that simple fact. Keeping up a charade, playing a part – it all got to be a bit much every now and again. ❝Extensive as it may be, it’s often a necessary evil. Imagine how many Muggles would suffer MORE damage than they should if you didn’t keep track of who had been Obliviated?❞ She then thought back to one man in particular, who she had personally gone to help at least three times before the Ministry had done something about the wizards in Presteigne. 

As they walked down the narrow, quiet corridor, her voice was barely above a whisper. It was more out of habit than fear that someone would overhear. There were times when she became so accustomed to the quite in her department that she was shocked by the volume of other floors upon venturing beyond the Entrance Chamber. ❝I’m not entirely sure. Something new, perhaps? There’s only so much of the same corner cafe that one can take.❞

“Well, if it weren’t coming from me, it’d be coming from other people. So really, what’s the lesser of two evils here?” He remarked with a crooked grin. One of his on-going jokes; his adoring fans. None could ever compare to him, but shouldn’t it be that way? In his opinion, you should be your #1 fan. Unless you weren’t him, because in that case you should be his #1 fan and your own second. It only made sense. “My ego could never be wounded, it’s indestructible. Though I know that will not stop you from trying.”

Nose scrunching up slightly at her logic, Edgar let out a tiny whoosh of breath. “Necessary evil, yeah. I know. I just wish there was a more ... simple way of doing it. But alas, it’s part of the job.” Their job would be a lot less hectic if things in their world weren’t so upside down. There wouldn’t be so many people to obliviate had Yaxley not taken over. It was a miracle that the muggle prime minister was still willing to work with them given the havoc death eaters was wreaking on his world, but alas - they’d have to appreciate the connection while it still lasted.

Reaching the elevator, Edgar rang it to their floor before stepping aside, allowing Emmeline to go on first. “Understandable. We could wander, perhaps? Find a place neither of us have been to and just...give it a chance. The worse that could happen is that they don’t have pie, and if so, we’ll just blacklist it for the future.”

“I’m telling you, I see the wildest shit at St. Mungo’s. Just this morning, a man came in covered with mushrooms. And they changed color, too, so they were sometimes blue or green or purple. And so I ask him ‘how much of you do they really cover?’ and he looks at me all embarrassed and says ‘everywhere’. Ha.”

Eyebrows raising slightly, Edgar took a rather large sip of his coffee, knowing he would need it to get through this particular conversation. He loved his sister, but Merlin knows there was a reason he went on to be an Obliviator and nothing to do with healing. “How on earth does something like that even happen? Is he all right now at least?”