Chapter 11: Nice To Meet You
The next morning the Lestranges were quiet at breakfast, far more subdued than usual. There was the shock of Voldemort severely fucking with their heads to process, as well as the fact no one had any idea what would be waiting for them at the Ministry this morning. Perhaps not even Kereston, although she was obviously one of the main instigators of this new forced government reform. No one could predict how the wizarding world would react to the 'plague' that not only made wizards mildly ill but stripped them completely of their magic.
For all anyone knew, there could be panic in the streets, and when there was panic, people ended up dead. Rather than deal with any potential street mobs and the trouble they'd get into for killing anyone who annoyed them, the Lestranges Apparated directly into the Ministry, landing right in the middle of Auror headquarters on level two. Though they weren't precisely certain where the main meeting that Kereston spoke of was being held, they figured if it was where everyone bloody was, they could find it without trouble. The fact that laughter was the first sound they heard reassured Bellatrix. No one was fighting, at least not inside. Not that she minded a good fight, but, in this case, it was a bit too early, considering things hadn't even gotten going yet with this new government.
"It's called a safe space," a girlish voice was explaining somewhere off to the right. The Lestranges exchanged a curious glance and followed the sound. "Everyone has to be extremely nice to one another in this safe space, and, like, you can't say anything that will upset anyone. Lots of Muggles have this safe space in their places of work."
"But how does one know what will upset people?" That voice with its light German accent belonged to Gellert Grindelwald. As the Lestranges turned into the doorway, they saw a small assembly, seated.
The girl who was speaking stood in front of her chair. She looked like an Amazon. She was tall and wide shouldered with a slender waist and long legs. She wore a flowing silver dress that was striped in green, indicating that she'd been in Slytherin. That, or she was just a fangirl. "I'm not exactly sure," she answered Grindelwald. "They seem to be offended by quite a lot these days... That's the strange bit, and part of the reason we feel SHE may be tampering with them."
When no one else asked a question, she sat down.
"Thank you, Millicent," Kereston said. "For those of you who have just arrived, this is Millicent Bulstrode. Though she is not a Ministry employee, she is a consultant that we hire for specific areas of research when it comes to Muggles. She studies their technology for her own uses and can learn what their masses are doing at all times."
An Auror seated in the back raised his hand, and Kereston nodded to him. "Why do we need to know what the Muggle masses are doing?"
"Because we fear that Delphini is bespelling them and, or possibly, using them for some sinister plot as Millicent mentioned. I hate to sound dramatic, but it is a valid concern. She has been giving Muggles potions that keep us from Obliviating them and making them aware of magic."
"That we can attest to," Rodolphus said to the Auror's skeptical look. "We were asked by the former Ministry to...handle one of those Muggles. Because he could not be Obliviated, we killed him. Before we did, we interrogated him, and he spoke of the blonde girl giving him a potion."
Bellatrix supposed Kereston had already briefed the new Aurors on who they were and why they were free, because no one was screaming or panicking at their presence, which could otherwise be expected. It was a bit disappointing, really.
"So you see," Kereston said to the Auror, who nodded. Then to the rest of the group, she continued, "I would like to introduce everyone and have each person state why you are here so that everyone is aware of everyone else. I want all of you aware of everyone's skills so that when trouble strikes, you will know who to go to for what. I am Kereston Boxwood, your new Minister. This is Gellert Grindelwald JR, my adviser, and due to the current Delphini situation, also Head of Defense."
Bellatrix searched the faces in the room for any looks of disbelief, but saw none. Instead some seemed a bit too knowing, and she took this to indicate they knew this Grindelwald was the one and only. He nodded in acknowledgment to the Minister's words then turned to the room. "Nice to meet you."
Kereston then indicated the group of three people and one elf who sat around him. "These are Gellert's family, and I shall let them introduce themselves."
An almost fragile looking willowy blonde woman rose. She appeared almost fragile only until one looked into her steely blue eyes. "I am Sabra Zabini... The Black Widow. Gellert is my adopted son, and I am here to protect him if necessary. Considering that I apparently killed seven men and escaped prison, I believe I am qualified." Her lips twitched slightly. "My skills are in poisons, and I can even use them as a long distance battle weapon so if you lot would like to be equipped, I'm your spider. Aside from poisons that can kill rapidly or slowly, there are also poisons that can simply debilitate a person or make them ill. Just so you're aware."
Many Aurors made low murmurs of interest as she took her seat. A short, stocky, muscular man with short, curly, dark hair stood next. "I'm Geo Zabini. I've returned from the dead seven times, so obviously I don't mess around, and I am difficult to kill. I may even be more of a badass than my wife, considering." He grinned and resumed his seat. He spoke in a heavy Italian accent, and though he didn't look very dangerous, Bellatrix assumed he likely was, considering who he was married to.
When the other two didn't speak, Gellert nodded to each in turn. "This is Mr. Blaise Zabini, my partner in all things, and our family elf, Bramble, who I fondly call Little Evil, if that tells you anything." The elf shot him an annoyed scowl and Grindelwald pretended to cringe back as he obviously struggled not to laugh.
"Blaise makes enchanted items with Gellert, and as they are adept in the construction of complex charms I wanted them to study the items in the Department of Mysteries as well," Kereston said. "I have asked all the workers in that department to accommodate them, giving them free access to any item they wish to study. This is because I feel we will need all the weapons against Delphini that we can marshal."
She turned to a young looking goblin with neatly combed shoulder length black hair and a sharply pressed black suit, who sat at her side looking mildly uncomfortable and out of place. "This is my Senior Undersecretary, Goriandor. He's the first goblin to hold an office in the Ministry of Magic! I have hired other goblins since, and I am excited to see what wizarding and goblin magics can do together to keep us all safe!" Goriandor smiled, but his expression was a bit strained as he nodded to the room.
"This is our new Head Auror, Romeo Valdez, direct from Spain." Kereston continued with a slight smile. "I stole him from the Aurors there,"
"The job sucked," Valdez said with a grin as he stood. He was tall, strongly built without being too bulky and had dark hair and eyes that likely had many ladies interested. "I went through a lot as a teenager at the hands of Voldemort's followers when they infiltrated my school, posing as professors. As a rule, when it comes to violent criminals, I am one to kill first and ask questions later rather than have innocents endangered. In these trying times, this trait is apparently something our Minister values highly. I hope all of you who will be working with me will see the merit in it as well, as I'd hate to see good lives wasted by Delphini's minions. They certainly will try."
He resumed his seat. Kereston turned to the Lestranges next. "As everyone probably already knows, these are the Lestranges. Bellatrix, Rodolphus, and Rabastan. They worked as Shadow Ops for the former Ministry and will do similar work for us as well as Ministry security and the overseeing of Azkaban."
"In which we spent much time," Rabastan said with a grin.
"If any of you would like to speak?" Kereston concluded, arching an amused brow at Rabastan. It was Bellatrix who stood, though. She intended to be amusing rather like the Zabini parents in order to break the ice a bit. "Everyone already believes us to be mad so..." But her throat stuck on the next words she intended to utter. It was something about how that meant they could use extreme measures to get the job done, and were now quite mad for the Ministry... Instead she found herself staring out into the small sea of faces blankly as she floundered for words.
Suddenly she felt quite cold and small and alone as she realized that the joke was no longer funny. "We were believed to be quite mad," she tried again, words coming out faint. "We...were..." Well, she certainly looked mad now. And this engendered a mad cackle. Her own mirth served to ease her nerves... Girl still had it!
"Voldemort had us all under compulsion since nineteen seventy nine, and we were actually the first to try to kill him while every-fucking-one-else was too frightened to do so! We discovered that he was taking apart his own soul whilst having absolutely no loyalty for his own, and we knew he needed taking down. It was the three of us, Regulus Black, Kreacher, and my Uncle Orion Black, gods rest his soul! Voldemort kept us alive, though...to remind himself that no one could be trusted, but he twisted our minds to ensure that we would be his most trustworthy dogs from then on." She stared at the faces that stared back at her until many of them dropped their gazes. "That's all I have to say," she said, then sat back down.
To her surprise it was the goblin Senior Undersecretary who started the applause, but everyone followed. Then to her shock and mild horror the room began to swim because her eyes were full of sudden tears. Apparently she could still be moved by a little fucking support! Kereston proceeded to introduce various goblins, elves, and even four Acromantulas who were working as Aurors or in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes.