Robert was far from being the idiot that apparently Jess Potter took him for. He didn't like division. Not like this. However, Robert was rarely completely unprepared. He had plans of his own regarding Hogwarts that he had never had the time to put on the Order table before Jess had dug in his heels about needing to move ahead without much of any sort of a plan, as Robert saw it. And Robert had seen Jess operate before like that to the detriment of the Order. He could not afford that mistake. Not this time.
In the end, they were fighting, still, for the same things, but their viewpoints in may areas were coming apart. That was disturbing. Robert hoped that when push came to shove, they would find themselves fighting together for the common good.
He hadn't slept much lately. He had far too many things on his mind. He had been working far too many hours and going on too little sleep because there was too much at risk. He had turned this whole puzzle over and over in his mind endlessly until it was nearly maddening.
He had been at his office since before daylight, leaving his office door somewhat ajar to hear the Ministry employees as they arrived for the day. He had given up, this week, his beloved Earl Grey for swiping some of Khaat's French Roast from her office and he was drinking it black and strong. His office was in more disarray than array because he couldn't be bothered with tidying it when he felt like he needed everything he'd rousted out.
Frustrated, he finally sat back in his desk chair and cursed rather quietly. "Damn."
by 
