Minister of Magic

( @notharoldminchum )

It was one of those days at the Lestrange manor where the rooms were too hot, the living room too cold, and the silence too unbearable. Rodolphus was off on a mission with his partner and Bella had been let go early on account of a severe migraine. Really she’d just been tired of poking and prodding at brain specimens. Though she loved her work it often grew tiresome.

Her present company, however, made it better. Sullivan Avery had Apparated into her foyer looking a tad too huffy for Bella’s liking, but the scowl she knew so well had amusing qualities when it was sketched into Harold Minchum’s face, or what was left of it anyway. She’d only laughed at him when he had caught sight of her and dragged him over to the large couch in the main living area, tossing him bodily down into the cushions and arranging the two of them to her liking. If Roddy dear came home now he’d pout over his wife and their best friend sharing potions without him and tangled together like they were.

The brunette’s fingers carded through his hair and made patterns in his scalp with her nails, tugging at the strands to make them stand on end before laying them flat again. In the state she was in now, body lax and mind foggy, she didn’t mind the weight of him laying over her like she normally would. When it was the three of them, it was familiar, the couch they’d bought specifically long enough to fit three bodies comfortably. Without Roddy here the couch had too much room, too much space. To accomodate, the witch and wizard simply sprawled across one another, limbs tangled and bodies pressed together at every angle.

By the time Sullivan finally came back down to earth, he found himself standing in a familiar foyer with none other than Bellatrix Lestrange starring back at him curiously. “ Enchanté, madame, ” he teased as his scowl was slightly alleviated by her presence. “ You are just the person I was hoping to find, ” he waved off her amused laughter as he wiped the sweat from half of Harold’s brow and mindlessly allowed her to drag him over to the couch. 

It felt relaxing to finally get off his feet after the day’s shamble of events, where he was forced to sit behind four walls once again and run the back end operations of a plan he was still partially in the dark on. Sullivan rarely felt this lack of esteem, but even rarer than that did he voice these concerns out of fear of cracking his image. His surface that he perceived to be flawless and impenetrable was not actually made out of titanium after all, and he didn’t want to find this out for himself any time soon.

Sullivan didn’t initially respond as Bellatrix’s question rang through his ears; he was lost in his own wild thoughts, as the fume of smoke and potions enhanced the voices inside his head. He returned her gaze as he sighed heavily and leaned back against her frame, extending his arms above his head to completely stretch his back. After few seconds he relaxed his body again, his legs lost somewhere among her other limbs, as his arms remained resting at the top of his head.

“ What are you doing here? ”

“ What are you doing here? ”

“ Well, not necessarily all at once, ” he softly laughed while correcting himself. “I do like to go through all of the departments occasionally, but sometimes it’s rather difficult to accomplish all in one day’s time, ” Harold informed her in all seriousness. The truth was Sully wasn’t as prepared for all the social aspects of the Minister’s job as he thought he was. It took a lot of energy to mingle with common-folk and maintain the imagine that he cared about all people’s well-being, as the Minister genuinely did. Imitating interest in something he had no concern for was exhausting and after a certain point, there was an automated reflex that took over. He struggled with trying to make sure he didn’t sound like a robot as he fiend interest through a stranger’s sharp teeth. 

With Victoria however, Sullivan immediately noticed a genuine reaction was somehow being coaxed out of him. There was something most interesting about the way he found her spilled over her work, and he couldn’t help but think much more captivating things would pour out of her given the chance. “ Well, I apologize again for disturbing you. Especially because you look like you have quite a lot of work to do, I should probably let you get back to it— ” he sheepishly gestured toward the door from which he came. “ But before I go Miss Watson, y’know, I don’t usually do this, but I would love to take you out to dinner one night this week if you would allow me to? Maybe pick your brain a little more about the work you’re doing here? ”

“Of course you do,” Victoria laughed lightly. “How silly of me.” She shook her head, an abashed look on her face. It would be nearly impossible for him to go through all the departments thoroughly in one day.  

“It really was no trouble,” she hastened to reassure him. She didn’t want word going round that she had been rude to the Minister, and chased him out of the department just so she could get her work done and go home. Vicky also didn’t want to make a bad impression on the Minister. She might buck authority, but even she had her limits. And the Minister’s was such a prestigious position, it would be beyond stupid for Vicky to alienate him. And she was not stupid. 

Sullivan emerged from inside, carefully stepping foot onto the red bricked patio that aligned his backyard as he made his way over to Alice. He was caring a tray stocked with treats, as didn’t dare return from the kitchen empty-handed. His stomach was loudly roaring in protest, reminding him that the pair was long overdue for an afternoon snack. The wizard was not the most pleasant when he was hungry, and he certainly did not want to deprive his beloved of a much needed meal as well. That is why he prepared a fresh kettle of tea before her arrival, which he knew paired perfectly with his famous finger sandwiches. “ Are you ready to take a break and eat a little something? ” Sully inquired as he set the tray down on the table they had been crafting on. 

No, that was a bit harsh. Alice knew what she was doing here. She was supposed to be recouping. The nurses at St. Mungo’s had told her to take it easy and Sullivan had been following the advice just a little too closely. In attempt to make sure he didn’t actually keep her confined to the bed rest that was prescribed to her, Alice made one last ditch effort and offered to help Sullivan build the bird houses he’d always wanted. They now sat in his backyard, enjoying the sun and the time each other. 

Still, when Avery headed inside to prepare some tea, Alice found herself worrying her lip as she painted a red flower onto the roof of the newly built birdhouse. The lack of answers that swirled around her missing memories still gnawed at her. ‘No foul play was detected? Bullshit.’ 

When she looked up when Avery returned she must have looked miles away.

“Hm? Oh! Yes! Let’s - " 

She hurriedly cleared up a space for them. When she’d finally had the chance to look at what he’d made, Alice let out a little good-natured laugh. 

 "Are those finger sandwiches? Since when do you know how to cook?" 

Not that making sandwiches was cooking, but it was all one and the same to Alice.

More importantly of course, he had a task to carry out to his last dying breath. Though Alecto and Bellatrix were foolish in their actions, he would do anything to protect them—even if that meant oblivating the woman that he-himself was foolishly growing to care for. At the sound of Alice’s voice however, he quickly shifted gears and redirected his full-attention back to her once more:

 “ Of course they’re finger sandwiches! What else would you have with your tea? ” Sully asked in mild horror, unable to envision a sacred tea time without the delicate intricacies. “ I’ve known how to cook for quite a while, ” the wizard casually shrugged as he picked up a sandwich off the top of the platter and took a large bite near the corner. He washed it down with a sip of tea before continuing. “ My mother taught me when I was younger. It started with these sandwiches actually, ” he chuckled at the recollection. “ They were always my favorite, and I got a little scared before my first year at Hogwarts. ” He sheepishly admitted, “ For some reason, I didn’t think the house elves would know how to make sandwiches. ” He smiled fondly at the memory, which he had almost forgotten. “ So that’s when my mum began teaching me. ”

“ To be fair, I know how to make other things as well, ” he quickly informed her. “ What is your favorite meal? I will happily prepare it for you one of these days, ” Sullivan proudly offered.

“ What are you doing here? ”

“Why are you asking me a billion and a half stupid, bloody questions, Avery?”

Sullivan wasn’t sure what possessed him to apparate to Malfoy Manor early that morning, but something certainly had him riled up. Maybe it had something to do with the obscene amounts of caffeine he consumed that morning while he was wrapped up in thoughts centered primarily around himself. While he had never been the most complex individual, he didn’t care to portray the shallowness carved beneath his skin to others. At least not intentionally, but sometimes he could not help it. Despite his year of frantic preparations, there was nothing that could prepare him for the slippery slope he feared to make a single misstep on. He recognized certain ticks and quirky habits unique to him as they seeped through the seams, exposing him for all that he was—or rather wasn’t, and this evoked unending anger and frustration. 

He straightened out his spine as he adjusted the collar scratching at his neck before continuing. Without so much as a knock, he swung the door open and stepped inside. He wasn’t sure where his manners were on that particularly damp morning, but he was not generally accustomed to knocking when visiting the homes of his friends—whether it were the Lestranges, or any one of the Malfoys. He had strolled into Malfoy Manor on many occasions before, such as whenever Abraxas would invite him over for afternoon tea. He presumed there was nothing different about it this time around—not stopping to think that maybe, just maybe, he was imposing. “ Lucius, Narcissa? Anyone home? ” He called out as his heavy steps echoed throughout the main foyer. 

After drumming her fingers on the table for a minute or so, she finally snapped. “Are you not going to say anything?” She hissed, the words shattering the tense air between them. Her appearance had worsened overnight. She hadn’t slept well, spasms of pain and nightmares of the evening’s events haunting her night. Maybe that’s why he was being so cautious. Frankly she didn’t care for why, she was sick of it. “For fucks sake, Lucius, say something about what happened last night! Ask me how I am, or how our baby is! Say anything!” Her words had become a yell. And the blood was pounding in her ears. She didn’t even hear their names being called from down the hall. 

“How’s the baby?” He rasped out after a moment spent taking a few deep breaths passed. Lucius still couldn’t look at her, knowing his resolve would break once he did. His fist slammed down on the table once he was through, the blond straightening because he could have sworn he heard another voice besides his wife. “And what the fuck could he possibly want?” Lucius pressed his tongue against his cheek after that, shoulders shaking before he managed to say anything else. “We aren’t taking any visitors.”

“ Oh, goodie. Someone is sassy today. And I was just starting to think things were getting a little dull around here. ” Sullivan lazily flicked his wrist as he withdrew a brand new pack of cigarettes from his pocket. “ You look like a man with purpose. Where are ya off to anyways, Carrow? ”

“It is hard not to be when people ask pointless questions.” He rolled his eyes, watching Sullivan’s movements carefully. An eyebrow rose carefully at the question, wondering if he should even bother answering it. “Home. I have business to attend to.” A delicate flower in the basement that would be so much fun to play with.

It was done.  Had the Dark Lord thought he would falter in his mission? Was it a test of his loyalty, or was he given this task with the knowledge that he would be able to carry it through? It was an important one, this was true. This was not some throwaway kill, an order to take a life at random. The man had been within the Ministry, and was growing suspicious of others in his department. He could have caused serious problems for the Death Eaters and their cause. His elimination had been necessary. 

It was done easily enough. He ingested the poison along with the tobacco he packed his cigar with, the one he liked to smoke at the end of every day. Then, it had simply been a matter of getting rid of the body, easy enough for a man with Rookwood’s knowledge. Augustus had left the possibilities open, so that the man could be replaced by a doppelganger if that was what the Dark Lord wished.