The Executor of the Will

Thaor listened to Roberts plan. It all sounded good to him, except one part. Robert, I am doing this for you, I need you to do something for me. Thaor said before standing and walking to the window. I need you to re-hire Brian, and promise me you will keep Khaat out of the ministry unless there is a trial. I could drag out the pre-trial process to keep her out of the Ministry longer. We can falsify our records to show that Brian never left our payroll. Thaor said, having to take a break from speaking to contain his emotions.

Thaor took a deep breath before continuing. Robert, I'm sure you've noticed a change in me. Growing up, we often played a muggle board game called 'success'. you went around, and could collect stars, money, and officer coins. Stars were popularity, money was riches, wealth, officer coins represented power. I've spent my whole life under the delusion that this is what success was, having money, power, and to be known. I have all of those things, yet I still feel empty. I've recently realized, success isn't the amount of money, name recognition, or power you have, but how many lives you have made a positive impact in, making a difference. He said, the whole time looking out the window.

I'm going to do everything I can to make sure those I care about are safe, and will have a brighter tomorrow. Robert, I need you to take care of Khaat and her children. Before you confront Gellert, you talk to me. I will confront him, I will try to end him. I don't have a family, a girlfriend, anything. I have riches, power, and name recognition. All of which, will not mean a thing in a hundred years. But If I can make a difference in even one persons life, I shall not have lived in vein. Because that difference in that one persons life, will help them make a difference in someone elses life, and so on. Thaor continued, taking a drink of firewhisky.

That being said, I need you to sign my will as a witness. Thaor said, summoning a piece of parchment that he ha previously written his new will on.

Everything in my vault at Gringotts, I leave to, Khaat Lupin, with the hopes that her children have an enriched life.
My estate in Andorra, I leave to, Jack Dyllan, so she may have a place to call home, always.
My estate in Australia, I leave to, Robert Lupin, should he ever need to get away.
Elldir's Wands, I leave to, Michael Tremaine, so that he may enjoy my stores of firewhisky.
My entire collection of Care of Magical Creatures books, posters, and research, I leave to Jack Dyllan, to take her depth of knowledge of magical creatures to a new level.
Anything not mentioned above, I leave to Jess Potter, a friend whom I have drifted away from over the years.

Signed

Thaorson Kam Elldir

Robert sighed and refilled his own firewhiskey glass. "Lets get one thing crystal clear," he said with all seriousness. "You are as much a member of my family as Remus, Kate, Khaat or anyone else. If you go up against Grindelwald, I'm going to be with you. I am not going to let you do this alone. I know your devotion to my family and me. I have never once questioned that. But I am not leaving you to him anymore than you'd leave me to him or leave Khaat in his clutches. Not gonna happen." He picked up the quill and signed the will, trying to see it as just any other piece of parchment that he signed in a day's time.

"Oh, and there is one more thing. I could not leave you on the court while you are deputy minister. Its a conflict of interest in wizarding law. So, in light of your promotion, I named Sophia Lestrange to the court. Its likely that Grindlewald may find her a wild card. She looks deceptively young and innocent and gullible, but she's been through a lot. Her father was Matt Lestrange, and Matt was the godfather of Khaat's daughter. Sophia has always been totally devoted to Khaat and me and our family. She'll be good backup for you and khaat and Brian. And she's a tough little fighter. Grindlewald will make a fatal mistake if he underestimates her." Robert grinned.

I by no means, meant I would face him alone. We shall do it together. Thaor said, turning to face Robert. But what I am saying, is that if it looks like we're going to lose a battle, us two, versus him. I will do everything in my power to make sure you get out alive. Thaor said, taking another drink of firewhisky.

The temperature started dropping in the room. Thaor couldn't tell if it was just him, or if it was really getting cold. His mind was racing with memories from his past, dark, depressing memories. He felt as if he'd never be happy again. Then he realized something. I do believe I know something we've missed. He said, before going to the door, and opening it.
Sure enough, there were five dementors outside his house. Thaor ran back to the table and grabbed his wand. He pointed it out the door. Expecto Patronum he shouted, an eagle patronus appeared from the tip of his wand flew out the door, and chased the dementors away.

Thaor lowered his wand slowly. Surely Robert would put two and two together now. Thaors patronus had always been a beaver. It had changed about six months ago. He couldn't figure out why, until he saw Khaat cast a patronus. He knew he had feelings for her, but he thought they were purely from his relationship with Robert. He had never felt love, he wasn't sure what love would even feel like. But if the patronus was any indication, he was in love with Khaat Lupin.

Robert didn't miss much. And he clearly saw Thaor firing Khaat's patronus. There was good in that and bad in that. And he hadn't missed the bequest in the will either. Robert had always let Khaat make her own choices in her relationships. Even when he truly believed it would never work. And Rob had been an example of one that he had wanted to have faith in and just hadn't been able to muster it up. However, he had no doubt whatsoever that with Thaor, Khaat would want for nothing. Ever.

He got up off the sofa, looked out the window and saw the dementors speeding off into the distance. He let the curtains close again and went over to the fireplace. If Thaor was still the host he used to be, there would still be a teakwood box on the fireplace mantle. The box with the mosaic top. It held Italian cigarettes. Or at least it used to. A box beside it held matches. He took a cigarette and lit it slowly in a relaxed manner. He didn't get to smoke much anymore, except if he was alone with Thaor or Michael because Kate detested it so much. He exhaled slowly, thoughtfully. He wasn't opposed to Thaor matching up with Khaat, so long as that was what she wanted, but right at the moment, she was tail over teakettle about Brian and wore his engagement ring. And then there was that sticky business that she was still technically married to Rob Dent.

"Nice patronus," he said calmly. "And the cigarettes are nice and fresh too. Thanks for not stocking the house with stale ones. I'm almost glad to see that eagle. It reassures me that no matter what, Khaat and my grandchildren would never be alone if anything happened to me. That being said, just so you know, I don't ever interfere with who Khaat chooses as her friends or as her...well, partners. If it works, then I will be happy for you both. But I am leaving that entirely to you and her." Well, the truth was, it actually wasn't even just between Thaor and Khaat. Right now, it was between Thaor and Khaat and Brian, and, well, Rob didn't really count. At last report, he had buggered off someplace after getting Khaat pregnant and had run out on her for the third time. But Robert was staying out of it. If he did anything in regards to his daughter's love life, he was fully prepared to annul her marriage and set her free from the miscreant that Rob Dent had turned out to be. And he was seriously considering doing that before he had to leave office.

Thaor went to the fireplace and grabbed a cigarette as well. I suppose there is no hiding it anymore. I didn't want any of you to know. She is pregnant afterall. And I know her and Brian are close. I do believe, her ending my spell during the Felix Barker trial is what did it. He tortured her to near death. And she showed him compassion. I felt like killing him right then and there. You truly have taught her well Robert. Thaor said, before taking a puff from his cigarette. It seems, this house is no longer safe, if dementors can find it. Which leads me to my next question. Who will be taking care of azkaban? Thaor asked, taking a seat once more.

Robert sighed, "I don't think those were 'my' dementors. If they were, they're about to become bedsheets. I'll have Jen turn them into curtains or something. She's good at that. Either that or they'll spend eternity in a jar in my lab. One or the other. As for who's running that rock, I guess I am for the moment. I haven't met anyone hardassed enough for the post--except you. I don't want someone who can't muster up what it takes to be a sonofasbastard to those dingdongs who are sentenced there. As a matter of fact, I think I'm going to put you in charge of Azkaban. Especially in light of what's to come. I can't have someone I don't trust implicitly in there. Consider the Deputy Minister now the Warden as well. Sorry for the lack of any sort of heads up on that, but oh well. Just remember that part of what I've always liked about you is your ability to be flexible." He grinned. "Oh and if someone or something comes back here, I'll kill them. It's pretty simple. I don't have a problem with that. But since the house is no longer safe, there's no point in staying here, is there? You might as well come back to England. Go stay with Michael. At least you can have five star cuisine there. And nobody but us is ever really sure who's side Michael is on anyway. It would work. If that doesn't suit you, I have a number of empty apartments in London. Magical London or in Muggle London. Take your pick. We'll make them unplottable for you. They won't follow you there.

"It is funny, though, that you remember that moment in the courtroom. I don't know when I was so proud of her. She really wanted the chance to see him standing in front of her in the courtroom. I really thought she was going to sentence Barker to death. And then, well, it must have been that spark of Kate that she has that came shining through. Remus and I would have killed him with our bare hands, actually. Well, you know that. And honestly, that's when she learned to really trust you. I am glad for that, regardless of the fact that he isn't still where we sent him.

"I know she sometimes regrets that compassion now. She visited him several times at Azkaban and talked w/ him. Brought him food, clean clothes, authorized him to be cleaned up, got his hair cut, got him shaved....met him with grace and compassion every time she talked to him. And then Grindlewald broke him out and he's at large again. I know she wonders now if she should have listened to those who recommended the death sentence. Sometimes I wonder too. I wonder if we shouldn't have just taken him down to the death chamber and shoved him across the veil. It would have been so easy and we'd have been done with it.

"But that's not Khaat. Not her way. For better or for worse, its not her way. And honestly, I'm glad it isn't. I hope she never has to learn how to live in the grey fringes of life like you and Michael and I have had to do. It's made us all way too cynical from who we used to be when we were students all those years ago. I hope she never gets that icy cold edge we've had to develop as a tool just to survive. Her mother is a lady, and far better is it for Khaat to take after her mother than to take after me."