Albus Potter and the Prophesied Year

Ch 46 First ICWW with Princess and Prince Peverell

Harry Potter was worried, which by itself was not strange. Especially since after going years without losing an English Auror, the last few months he had lost several. Plus, they had lost other Aurors and Department of Law Enforcement personnel from other countries in the capture of the island and the taking of the Crystal Ball back to Switzerland.

Now he was one of the people in charge of security for the International Confederation of Witches and Wizards, and he was worried.

There was still much controversy about the changing status of the High Elves, what were and in some cases still were house elves and goblins, plus the High Elf Dwarves and a few other minor groups. Albus had explained a little of the struggles going on with those beings. Goblin High Elves were working alongside Magi law enforcement to make sure when the groups were together everyone was safe. Both Goblin Elf and Magi Auror had problems treating the other as equal, and just often enough their perspective on an issue was different. Albus had been called into several of these contentious negotiations, amazing Harry with his knowledge of Gobbledygook as well as more than one Elfish dialect. Albus was usually unnaturally calm during any argument, but Harry had seen him face down an angry Goblin, his bearing reflecting the harshness of the Gobbledygook language.

*

Saturday afternoon Harry had just finished meeting with Raphael Vaud, the head Auror in Switzerland, and a team of local and international Aurors in charge of securing this year's ICWW. "I want to tell Albus and Cleo what we have decided, and meet with them one more time," Harry told the group.

Harry walked from the headquarters of the Swiss Auror department, through the extensive network of tunnels and pathways that connected almost all of the governing and administrative portions of Switzerland as well as many of the homes and businesses, to the Castle. The day was pleasant, but it was easier to get to the castle this way because of shortcuts. The walk gave him time to think, and unfortunately to worry. Harry and his guards were met by security at the underground entrance to the castle, and promptly waved in.

"I need to see Albus," Harry told one of the people at the entrance. She looked at what Harry recognized was a version of the maps they had made of the castle. The witch pointed out where Albus was, in an office he used often when he was working from what was his home.

"Hello, Albus," Harry remarked when he arrived. "How are you?"

"Fine, dad," Albus replied, getting up from the desk where he had been sitting. "Reviewing the names and some information on people I ought to know before the opening ball tonight."

"How is Cleo doing with the babies?" Harry wondered. "She seemed to be doing well when we visited, except for being short of sleep, which is normal."

"She is a natural as a mother," Albus replied. "Arwen, Cleo's personal Elf, at least right now, will be tending the babies when we are otherwise occupied, although at this age that mostly means watching them when they sleep. If Arwen mostly watches the babies, then Dis can concentrating on being a guard Elf. After all the dangers, all the beings who have tried to harm Cleo and me, it cannot hurt to be paranoid about our safety."

"It helps when the baby only wakes up once a night, and the mother can get three or four straight hours of good sleep," Harry remarked. "It helps even more, of course, when they can sleep through the night, but if the baby is awake after two or two and a half hours' mother really doesn't get good sleep."

"The helpers have insisted that I get a good night's sleep," Albus told his father. "Cleo is on maternity leave for at least a couple more days, not doing anything, except for maybe a few hours at the opening ball."