The Executor of the Will

Thaor laughed a bit as he saw the footstool. He knew just how to fix this problem. He set the stool on the ground and it proceded to run around a bit. He pulled out his wand. Avada Kedavra Thaor said, pointing his wand at the footstool. It immediately stopped moving, and he knew it was dead. Problem solved. Thaor said with a smile. I could come take care of yours if you want? Thaor said chuckling.

Michael's anger was raised instantly. He rose, put the box of socks back in his backpack and picked up the little dead footstool and put it in his backpack. He zipped up the backpack and looked at Thaor.

"When you get your head out of your ass, you let me know. That wasn't necessary. Killing babies is beneath you, Elldir." He looked at Robert. "I'll see you later." He picked up his wand and apparated out.

Robert looked at Thaor. He didn't say a word. He merely took a drink of his firewhiskey. He wasn't very happy with Thaor at the moment either. There had been a lot of other ways to handle it, but killing a puppy? That was unnecessary and foul, and it left a bitter taste in Robert's heart.

"He'll be okay," Robert said. "I'll have a pint with him, and he'll cool off. You know Michael. He talks a tough game, but he's a softy underneath."

Thaor watched as Michael left, he wish he had another option, but he needed to talk to Robert alone. I'm sorry about that. Poor thing, but I need to speak with you, alone. The morning after the battle. We had a meeting at the Manor. Ne'Os and Grindlewald ganged up on me, I had to say something, agree to something, that involves you. Thaor said, the serious tone in his voice hinting that it involved Roberts life.

Robert sighed. This was not totally unexpected, and he did have a very good idea about what they were most likely thinking. "Let me guess. Grindelwald wants my post and he's perfectly prepared to try to kill me in order to get it. No one comes back from the dead and just wants to own a little shop someplace and lives quietly. No one makes a horcrux to do that. Nobody. And anyone like Grindelwald who does it is interested in as much world domination as he can suck up before someone offs him as permanently as they can manage it. I expect I'll have to have a standoff with him at some point or another. More than one Minister has died in office trying to defend it. I knew that when I took the post. I've been preparing Kate for it since we knew Grindelwald was back.

"Don't think she hasn't tried to get me to just retire now and escape it. But that would just leave someone else to face him down. That's like setting someone else up to die in my place. And I can't do that. I'm sure Khaat knows its a serious risk, but given her own situation, I'm not bringing it up to her now. However, if you have any information about when they might strike, it might help me be a bit more prepared to face it."

Thaor's instincts told him to look to the fire, the floor, anywhere but Roberts eyes. However he couldn't tear himself away from them. Robert knew what would be the most likely outcome. That Grindlewald would strike, but what he didn't know, was that Thaor had to be the one to do it. Grindlewald isn't willing to kill you to get your position. I have to kill you. I was given ten days to kill you, and take your position. Today marks the ninth day. Thaor said, finally able to break eye contact and take another large drink of firewhisky. We need to reverse roles Robert, I will come out of hiding, we can fake your death, I'll take the ministers spot. He will no doubt kill me either way. You have a family to live for, I have none. I would be honored to die in your place Robert. You need to be there for your grandkids. Thaor said, looking into Roberts eyes once more.

"No," Robert said. "I'm sure he knows you're in hiding but so far as I know, you're not bound to him anymore. If that's the case, lets move you into other hiding where he can't find you. I appreciate your gesture, but I am not willing to lose you again. And he and I are going to butt heads eventually. Its one of those inevitable things. I want you in the position of deputy headmaster because he trusts you. You are worth far more alive and in the deputy headmaster job than you are anyplace else. You can undo him from the inside. It will take time, but I trust you to do that. There isn't anybody else that can fill that role right now.

"How about a delay in your ability to fulfil the contract, though? Think about it. Khaat is due with triplets any time now. She thinks its twins. That gives her five children in diapers at one time. I will be needed at home. We can orchestrate my taking a leave of absence. If you have to let him in then, then do so. I can magically start Khaat's labor early if I need to in order to kick this into gear. She and the babies will be fine. That gives me a good excuse to be out of the ministry office. You could simply let him in.

"I'm not running out on a faceoff with him. But, I don't want anymore bloodshed, and in order to stop him, we'd risk the lives of almost every employee at the Ministry we have, along with the Order and the Death Eaters. We need to buy some time. Do you think you can maintain your role on the inside and work with me on the outside? You can help him forge my resignation for personal reasons when the babies are delivered if you need to. And then we can buy time to develop a far better plan later to take him down. What do you say?"

Thaor sat in thought for a moment. Have you ever taken the time to think, I don't want to do this anymore? That I don't think it's worth it. Either I die a hero, or a traitor. Maybe I just want to die a nobody Robert. I want to get away. From everything. Thaor said, holding back tears. His mind was racing. The one person in this world he truly loved, could never be his. There is only one reason I'm going to do this Robert. I know if we do it any other way, a certain person will be harmed. And I'm not selfish enough to let that happen. Thaor said, wiping away a single tear. Thaor took another swig of firewhisky before continueing. What do we do first? Thaor asked.

Robert listened to Thaor's venting. Robert understood how he felt. Robert didn't want to do another war, lose anyone else, none of it. He did understand that sort of fatigue. Robert just didn't allow himself that luxury. He couldn't afford it right now. He was fully counting on the fact that at some point, he himself was very likely to die trying to defend the Ministry against Grindlewald, even if he did it by hiimself. And if that happened, it was nothing more than a suicide mission.

"I do understand how you feel. And I do understand the impulse to want to bail and run and what it takes to fight through it. The only thing I need you to do right now is, at some point, to go back. Do the deputy minister job. You'll have to let Grindlewald in. You won't be able to be seen with me for awhile. He'll have to believe you've sold me out. I don't have a choice here. Its the only way I can protect my family and buy time until I get enough support to perhaps take him on. Unless I have the numbers behind me, it won't be anything more than another massacre. For now, that's all I want you to do. Khaat still works in the ministry, in the Wizengamot. If worse comes to worse, I'll use her for your contact. I'll find a way. But you won't be able to be seen contacting me in any manner. Just go and do your job for now, and keep your eyes and ears open."

Thaor listened to Robert. He made up his mind, he knew exactly when, and where he would announce his 'aliveness'. I shall make a grand appearance at graduation. I believe I owe Ms. Dyllan an apology. Thaor said, taking a drink.

Now, when you take your leave. I'll become interim Minister correct? There are a few things I'll want to do before handing over the reigns to Grindlewald. As for Khaat and the Wizengamot. I'm only going to tell you this once. Once you take your leave. I do not want Khaat in the ministry unless absolutely unavoidable. While you may be out of the ministry, Grindlewald will do anything he can to assure you have no connections on the inside. We both know what that would mean for Khaat. Thaor said, the emotion behind his words no longer hidden.

"Well, if we do it right, that should be the way it would work. You would be the Acting Minister. But it needs to look llke I am merely taking a leave of absence for family reasons. It can't look like I resigned. If I resign it will simply tip off Grindlewald that I'm up to something. However, if one of the reports picks up on Khaat's triplets and reports it, since it is a virtually unheard of thing in our world, that would provide Grindlewald all the justification he needs to understand why I'd be taking a bit of time off. Particularly if we tell the press that the birth was difficult. I don't anticipate it will be, but it wouldn't be the first time the press was fed a bit of misinformation.

"But you are right. I will have to keep Khaat out of the Ministry as much as possible. Brian resigned as an auror sometime back. I'm not sure whether to put him back on the payroll there again or whether it puts him right in Grindlewald's line of fire. Brian would do it if I asked him, but I don't want to set him up to be killed either. Its not exactly hidden knowledge that Khaat lives with him. And even though we may want it to look like I have no connections on the inside, I do need to have at least a couple. I think I can count on Jen, but I'm not 100% sure about that. And I am a bit anxious about the open post on the wizengamot. I want that filled. I don't want Grindlewald messing with that. I'll either fill it or get Khaat to do that as soon as possible." He paused and looked at Thaor.

"What did we miss?"