Appointment One: 09:00

(OOC; Addie I am so sorry that I posted out of the order! Please don't be mad I was just too anxious to post and I won't get to later )

Theodore's gaze was visible out of the corner of Hallie's blue eyes. He spoke with such a dry tone it was difficult to tell if he wa being serious about her Mum, saying it just to bring up a pun for the sake of puns or if he was insulting her Mother - after all she was rather sad and distant at times. 

Hallie blinked rapidly in astonishment for a moment. Theodore was wanting money for each child they conceived? Now Hallie wouldn't be having that, no way on this earth was she going to have children for money. Hallie would have children or the whole purpose of becoming a Mother.

Although before she could voice her opinion of being paid for Motherhood the Theodore had began to describe a house that he desired. Their new home that sounded highly expensive, which got Hallie thinking, was the Ministry doing this for every pair? Where was all the money going to come from for all of this? 

Yet again before Hallie could voice her opinion Theodore had asked what the meeting entailed, something Hallie had been curious about when she first had first arrived, but she didn't need Elijah Krum to offer her a promotion to figure out what it entailed.

Bribery! The Ministry were offering them a mansion, promotions and money to follow the marriage law. Something which didn't make sense considering they'd published that anyone to disobey would be thrown in Azkaban. Or had that been an empty threat? 

Pursing her lips Hallie glared from Elijah Krum to Ana Levski. 'No. I won't be taking the Hit Wizard promotion. I want to work my way up because of my passion and talent not because I had it handed to me on a platter!' She retorted, changing her fiery leer towards Theodore as she spoke her last words referring to Professor Rookwood 'inheriting' Hogwarts. 'Oh. And as your future wife I am putting my foot down. When we come to have children you wont be accepting money or any other sort of payment, whether it be expensive broomstick or job prospect! Who on earth do you think you are?'  

Hallie truley couldn't believe that someone would be so demanding and arrogant. Who did this Rookwood think he was? She was beginning to feel sorry for her Mother having him as a boss. What sort of person would receive money for having children? Hallie wanted her children to feel loved,  cherished, treasured not that they were conceived over a business arrangement. Already she could see it. Theodore was going to make a terrible Father. Her dream of having a family like the family she had once had was slowly evaporating out of sight. 

Hallie leaned forward to the desk where Elijah was sat. 'And I want it in writing that the first boy shall be called Robert Toby Cooper.' Then turning to Theodore before he could say anything. 'Yes. The children are having my family name.' 

((OOC: No worries, RJ. My computer lost my post or I would have replied earlier))

Though Eli offered a suggestion that they not fight, the young would-be Auror was outraged. Ana couldn't say she didn't understand why. The Rookwood was being a right problem, and she was about to go off on him entirely. Her previous threats weren't accomplishing anything, and the only one she had left was something like taking him into custody. Something she couldn't do, however, was actually take him in herself. Was it even worth mentioning?

"Hallie, dear, I believe Eli meant that you would be asked to return in order to be on the way to promotions. Not the immediate jump in the system which seems to worry you. I understand your desire to go about it properly, and I must say I'm impressed." Ana said, being truthful. Most people her age would love to skip through the ranks.

Frowning darkly at just about everyone in the room - aside from Hallie, who seemed to be the most sensible of the three sitting around her - Ana decided a warning was at least worth something.

"Let me ask you something, Theodore. Do you read the Daily Prophet?" She asked, barreling on without waiting for an answer. "I imagine you do. That said, you must have read the rules about the law. One of those laws included Azkaban time should someone refuse to comply. Take that as a warning." She put in, looking to Eli as he listed off the rest of the meeting's plans.

Undoubtedly, someone in the room would be annoyed with her words, but if it was the only thing to get the man to cooperate, it would be done. Or Ana would see that someone would get around to it. Frankly, she didn't want the meeting to drag on if she could help it. She and Elijah would be having words before the next meeting, preferably.

As a teenager, Theodore remembered being rather unsettled by those who preferred the pleasurable company of men, being men themselves, over women. It was a point of view that had been born out of ignorance and bigotry and though he’d been rather disquieted about the whole ‘torrid affair’ that went on behind the scenes of regular Pureblood circles, he’d come to be rather accepting.

He didn’t, however, find himself a man who would indulge in such things, believing his self to be a woman’s man and a man to whom women should flock - the latter an opinion that surfaces on his more elaborately arrogant days. However, sitting in the Ministry was beginning to make him wonder about the merits of taking up with the Transfiguration Professor at Hogwarts. Merlin knew the man would probably give Theodore less trouble than either woman on her lonesome or the two combined.

Rising from his chair, finding that his glass was disappointingly empty, Theodore moved over to the sideboard that held a number of crystal bottles full with amber liquid. One even housed a litre of lime green liquor he knew would probably be Absinthe if he dared to sample it. Theodore stuck with the whisky, however, his mind only half computing the vitriol the woman he hoped in time would be the first of his former wives was spewing.

“You can care all you like, love, about the integrity of our children’s conception. If you hang about in the Wizengamot enough you’ll pick things up. It appears similarly in the Third Reich though I doubt you’ll get a mother’s medal for your trouble. A one thousand mark loan, it was. Reichmarks at the time, I believe. Two hundred and fifty you could keep for every child you had. So if you had four you were absolved of your loan and obviously you purchased a house or a Volkswagen or shares in the Nazi party - whatever you like.”

He removed the stopper from the whisky and poured in a more generous amount than what Ana had afforded him and set the bottle back down after replacing the crystal cap once more.

“This is the same. They offer us a nice place to live - though certainly didn’t bargain on a twenty-six million pound property, naturally - and we use their loan to pay for the rent or the down payment or whatever it is in order to keep the place. This is for the poorer of the unfortunate swots. And then of course, there’s the job progression. The delightful and expected promotions to round off our trio of bribes. It’s published in the Quibbler; I’ll have you know, Lady Levski. I have no time for the drivel your propaganda machine spits out. Krum, where are the tongs for your ice?”

Theodore reached down and opened one of the drawers, expecting the tongs to be in there. Instead what he found was a mess of paperwork, an empty pot of jam and a creature that looked distinctly like a Pygmy Puff. But it wasn’t - was it? It was rainbow coloured with huge eyes and an impish grin on its face. It looked up from the jam pot, turned over on its side, and stared up at Theodore with an expression that closely mirrored his - half-surprise, half total dismay at the interruption. The Pygmy didn’t seem to care, however, and instead leapt from the drawer, making a noise that sounded faintly similar to: ‘Geronimo!’

Theodore stepped back, oddly bemused by the little creature, but his eyes widened as, following the leader, easily a thousand Pygmy Puffs, each one as rainbow coloured as the next, erupted like a tidal wave out of the drawer and onto the floor. They scurried quicker than he’d ever seen animals move, a large plume of rainbow coloured fluff, and didn’t stop until they’d scaled the Minister’s desk, looking all the world for a moment like a giant tea cosy fashioned to suit a desk, and only halted once they’d covered the man’s entire desk, absorbing all of the paperwork beneath them.

Aptly, it was then that Theodore found the tongs and chuckled to himself before tossing in a few blocks of ice.

“This wasn’t mentioned in the Wizengamot,” Theodore commented congenially as he crossed the room to sit back down. “They are quite cute though.” He conceded, reaching forward to pluck one of the large, palm-sized Pygmy Puffs off of the desk. He held it out to Hallie, a slight smirk on his lips. “It won’t bite,” He assured her briefly. “You’re welcome to call this thing Robert Toby Cooper. As for the child, we’ll discuss that later.”

Theodore sat back in the chair after picking up a Pygmy Puff for himself and sat it in his lap while he waited for Ana and Elijah to begin their spiel once more. Theodore put his index finger in his whisky for a moment before taking it out and offering it to the Puffskien who hesitated but soon enough clamped his or her lips around Theodore’s finger, licking lean the skin and savouring every tingle of the Firewhisky on its little tongue.

“Well, I’m sold.” He commented idly as he observed the little creature. “You might get further if you present Pygmy Puffs to every couple you meet, Krum. Can I have one? I hesitate to open another drawer because I’d imagine the same amount would pop out, no? So, when are we going to do this fertility test thing? I presume it’ll be quick, painless and non-invasive. I would hasten to remind you both that while you’re politicians and inherently soulless and I have nothing to be ashamed of, we are in the presence of a lady who, no doubt, would appreciate some privacy. But don’t worry about it, if you didn’t have cause enough to throw me in Azkaban, hurt the blonde and you’ll have an assault and battery charge to place upon my person.”

And despite his words, Theodore even managed a sweet smile for them - as if butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth.

Elijah was willing to give the Rookwood boy a medal or something - he’d definitely done his reading. Despite that, Elijah wasn’t feeling at all reassured. He flicked his cigarette out of the window despite himself and listened to the spiel that was, much to his dismay, right. Elijah would have to owl the Lovegoods later on and tell them to stop spoiling the fun or perhaps publish it in the Daily Prophet with a nice spin on it which would make it all a little more positive. It was meant to be a surprise. The loan was meant to be helpful and mutually beneficial. The accommodations would help them put their feet on the ground and the promotions would hopefully aid the longevity of the unions and allow for there to be a lot more breathing room.

“Ta-da,” Elijah waved his hands ironically, a poor imitation of jazz hands, and smiled sardonically before pushing himself off of the sideboard beneath the window and returning to his desk, glass in hand. “It is saddening that Mr Rookwood is right but so is Lady Levski, my dear Hallie. Becoming a Hit Wizard is, surely, every young Auror’s dream and I do want you to achieve that but to do so unceremoniously would completely spell the end of your life and your career and I’m sure you wouldn’t want to write your will prematurely. I am merely suggesting, as Ana said, to put you on the promotion ladder so that when the Hit Wizard squad finds itself in need of another member they look to you first and work their way down the list. Obviously it’ll be a while before you achieve-”

Elijah’s expression changed. He’d ignored Theodore mostly but when the man had fallen silent, Elijah had grown suspicious and the flash of colour in his periphery confirmed his worst fears. His Pygmy Puff Kevin who he had found at the Lupin farm was not a Kevin at all - rather, he...she was a Kevina. Before Elijah could really comprehend what was going on, Pygmy Puffs covered the desk entirely and Rookwood was, believe it or not, chortling! Laughing! Elijah scowled, his cheeks colouring an unsightly pink, and he leaned down, deciding to test Theodore’s theory by opening his desk drawer.

He was right again and this time, the Pygmy Puffs elected to cover Elijah from head to toe, leaving room for him to see, hear, smell and speak but took up every other area possible. But, nevertheless, Pygmy Puff covered or not, Elijah had to carry on.

“Your honesty is truly refreshing, I assure you. However, these are certain perks. Are you saying you would rather purchase your home of your own accord and have no loan? It is something we are willing to help with. It’s important that your early stages of marriage are without financial turmoil. Anything else is of your own making, naturally. You can, in fact, have lunch on me. My restaurant, if you like. Pop it on my tab.” He smiled congenially before clearing his throat. “We could do the spells now, yes. Completely non-invasive, I assure you. Ana will be casting it on Hallie, obviously. It’s not my place. It’s simple enough. It’s just to check whether you are both capable of producing children. You magical blood percentage is something that we are well aware of but, should you fall pregnant, my dear, you’d want to go to St. Mungo’s and make sure that’s checked upon.”

Elijah rose from his desk, shaking off the Pygmy Puffs who happily jumped to the floor, and took his wand out from the sea that covered his desk.

“Shall we check, Ana? Then we can continue to bicker over terms, if you would both like.”

What happened within the next two minutes or so was rather shocking for Hallie. Again, whilst Theodore rambled on in a manner that gave off a tone that he was more knowledgeable and superior it appeared Ana had some useful information. Azkaban was the final straw.

If Hallie and Theodore couldn't agree to terms and conditions then it looked as though they would both end up in a cell in Azkaban. Taking up cell spaces, granted there were many, for not following a stupid law. Sure it was needed to help control the Wizarding population and sustain it, but was it really as grand an offence to end up in Azkaban, and who knows for how long. Azkaban was a place that that Hallie detested. She'd never been but with it being the home of dementors and dark sorcerers darker than imagination it was only naturally for Hallie to hate the place, given her history. A a result, after what Ana had said to Theodore, Hallie would most certainly be agreeing to whatever terms and conditions were placed before her, unless her emotions carried her away...

Now Ana and Elijah explained themselves more clearly about the promotion ladder it did seem a good agreement. There was just one problem. 'How am I supposed to end up on the ladder if I'm pregnant? I doubt I'd be considered a good candidate. Besides I needed to concentrate on completing my Auror training before we have a baby, which won't be an issue seeing as i doubt we'll be having sex anytime soon.' The words weren't directed at anyone in particular, more mere mutterings whilst Hallie thought aloud. Looking up at Elijah Krum she asked him: 'Do you believe I am talented enough? I mean I have only been in training for two months or so, do you believe I could be a hit wizard?' Elijah clearly had one his research. For an outgoing, reckless, adventerous girl like Hallie who was dedicated to the eradication of dark magic, being on the hit squad was at the top of her list. Sure she wanted to be an auror first, get involved in investigations but later there would come a time when the lion inside would need to roar. Roar louder than a lion, because she was a champion and wanted everyone to hear her roar!

Awaiting his reply Hallie rubbed her jaw slightly, pursing his lips again. Her wisdom tooth was beginning to come through and it was a pain in the rear end just lately. Not that her tooth ache was as important as the matter at hand although it sure was a distraction - much like what seemed to happen next.

Theodore had waltzed over to a cupboard and a stampede, herd, collection or whatever a group of pygmy puffs were called, had rushed from the cupboard and certainly brightening up the room. Who knew Mr Krum was a fan of such docile, fun loving creatures. For a moment Hallie thought that Ana or Eliah had betwitched her, was she hallucinating? The pygymy puffs were everywhere, and now one was being placed before her in the hands of Theodore Rookwood.

How rude! The blood running within Hallie's veins was almost at boiling point. How dare he! How dare this jack ass suggest that she call a pathetic Pygmy puff Robert Toby Cooper. That name meant more than anything to her. Her father had been her rock and soul. Under his care she had really began to develop her love for adventure, fun-living, courage. Seeing her Father die whilst protecting the family had really shaped her into the person she was today. A passionate lady who fought for her beliefs.

Then of course Toby, her brother. Words couldn't describe the bond they had. Even after five years of not seeing him, deep down inside, the bond was there. He was a part of her soul and would never leave. Hallie would be naming her child Robert Toby Cooper (even if Cooper was the first of two surnames) and suggesting she call the colourful fluffball such a heartfelt name was simply an insult. So much so Hallie was gripping hard onto the arms of the chair to resist the urge to give Theodore Rookwood a good hard slap. 

Words were beyond her. Hallie simply sat and glared at her future husband, ignoring what Elijah was now talking about. She didn't care what her fertility levels were, this man, this derogatory, vile excuse for a human was really starting to get on her last nerve. First he had flounced in demanding a twenty-odd million galleon house. After that he had been suggesting that he'd be receieving money in return for each child that he popped out of Hallie - what on earth was she? A gumball machine, put in a sickle, have it clunk around the machine then out comes a baby? Finally, on top of all of that, he had completely insulted her and everything that had made her become the woman she was today.

However, it seemed that wasn't all. Whether he had shown some sort of protectivness over her or not Hallie was ticked off enough and Hallie was sick of being judged by her image! Certainly she was fond of her blonde locks and enjoyed styling it to enhance her natural beauty but right now, along with everything that had already happened, Theodore had gone a step too far.

Hallie rose from her seat, reached for the glass of whiskey, took it in her grasp and. SPLOSH! Theodore was now covered in his drink. 'I have a name!' She spat. And with that she walked over towards Ana Levski, anger prickling around the room. Hallie wasnt even regretful of what she'd done to Theodore, he deserved it whether he was her Mother's boss or not.

'Get me away from that self-absorbed bastard Rockwind and test my fertility.' She cried, purposefully incorrectly naming him whilst foldering her arms, pursing her lips and moving her foot uncontrollably in rage.

(OOC: turns out I did get to post. That night out wasn't the best *In need of PA*)

Ana chose to let Eli concern himself with the promotional ladder of the to-be Auror, as it wasn't her field anymore. Though she was an Auror herself for about ten years, if not a bit longer (she had sort of stopped counting after a while), she was no longer affiliated with them, and didn't want to stick her nose where it didn't belong.

Frankly, the pygmy puff comment was a bit too far, even for someone so accustomed to harsh comments as Ana. Coming from Durmstrang had certainly hardened her, if being an Auror or Unspeakable hadn't as well.

Instead of answering Hallie's question, Ana gave Theodore a warning frown as she stood and moved past him to stand next to Hallie's chair. As if anticipating Ana's request for the girl to stand, the blonde rose.

She didn't face the Unspeakable, however, which confused Ana only momentarily. She could barely contain a loud guffaw at Hallie's actions - not to mention the now slightly damp Rookwood sitting nearby - Ana pursed her lips and looked over to Elijah to see what he would do about this.

"Yes, I really should check Hallie, and I doubt she wants Theodore here for that. Goodness knows what will be thrown." Ana said, though she passed a subtly approving glance Hallie's way. She was just hoping that the girl's match wouldn't retaliate. "Would you prefer it be just us when you find out? I know that bad news could be something you need time to yourself for. It's unlikely, but possible."

Even though she was rough around the edges, people like Eli had come to understand that on a deeper level, she was mostly someone who had some things she wasn't okay with. Those were what had lead to the law being pushed, if she really thought hard about why she had done it. That said, things like children were important to a woman, and she definitely understood that. She, as upset with her husband as she was, would have done anything for her kids.

(Not sure where I was really going with these two. I wanted Theo out and I also wanted him to really get one over on Elijah. So yeah, now he's absent and when the girls come back, I suppose Eli will have some explaining to do.)

A cigarette was needed. It was needed just as much as his lungs needed oxygen to swell and recede. Yet, to employ the first excluded the latter in a painful, gradual suffocation. The swirl of smoke above his head, sliding from his nostrils like water from a faucet or beating from his lips like Indian smoke signals had always left him intoxicated. It left him desperate for more that he could not find breath to drink. Yet as he sat, his skin through his clothes sticking to the leather into which he reclined, he found he had the stomach to drink, to inhale and to breathe the cacophony that would extinguish him finally; resolutely.

As a child, his mother left him alone to cry, his father’s resolute authority giving Stelladora no leave to console him. They had to listen to the wails and did so as though it was the tempo to which they led their natural lives. Until of course it ceased like the beat of a wave no longer slithering across the granules of the sand. He shared that with his contemporary. Ana knew no such dissolution of familiar life. Hallie, by comparison, knew the blessedness of death in them - something which Theodore did not but Elijah did. It was something that they all had to come to terms with in the end but it was also something which divided them. It saw Hallie against Theodore, the latter antagonising her to the point of stickiness. Ana simply loathed him.

Her disdain was simple, explainable. Elijah’s was... neutrality.

The cigarette did not sooth but certainly felt reassuring in his fingers. Elijah poured some more whisky into the glass at his elbow and made an effort also to do the same for his friend who sat rigidly in his chair, watching with idle eyes as the Pygmy Puff hopped about his person, licking where he could the sweetness and sourness of the drink but also, much like they did, revelled in the burn of it.

“Take Miss Cooper away at your leisure, Ana.” Elijah instructed calmly, tapping into the ash tray beside him more than its fair share of withered cigarette. “We gentlemen cannot pretend to understand the delicacies of the female condition, now can we? It is best if you employ some of your maternal instinct to either console or congratulate the future Madame Rookwood. Naturally, we do hope that your fortune is an ace, my dear.” Elijah managed a placid smile before waving them away with his unoccupied hand.

Ana’s attendance naturally put the young ladies at ease due to the strange familiarity women had around each other. Hallie would take solace in Ana as Elijah assumed Ana would think Theodore would him. Of course, there was much more politics to be discussed first.

“You pay for the house,” Elijah idled, exhaling the silvery wafts of smoke into the air. “I’ll provide the money when the divorce arrives and I will also ensure your children are educated at Durmstrang - how’s that? Of course, first, it’s imperative we’re sure you can, in fact, have children. I’m quite sure Hallie is fertile and all the rest but you’re a different kettle of fish entirely aren’t you? Fertility in Rookwoods has never been particularly strong and I suppose that’s why you’re hesitant, no?”

Elijah rose from his chair, leaving the cigarette in the ash tray, and flicked his wand at Theodore, drying the other man’s clothes with a simple spell. Then he gestured for the Rookwood to rise and once the other man was facing him, Elijah cut his wand through the air again but this time over Theodore’s abdomen, a concentrated area which would ascertain his level of fertility. It was a colour wheel or sorts; a progression from green to red through yellow - green obviously being a good, fertile colour and red meaning there was a dire problem.

The wary gaze did not go unnoticed by Elijah and certainly, the jittering hand around the glass of whisky was noted with interest.

Elijah cast the spell quickly, privately, and then sat back to watch as the colours mottled around Theodore.

“Ah,” He murmured finally, when the colours settled and the mood in the room seemed to change. “That man does not make his boys. I see the trait follows more Rookwoods than we thought, hm? Have another drink. I shan’t tell Hallie that she won’t, unless fortune favours you, get to have her Robert Toby Cooper, shall I? We’ll have to settle for Roberta, hm? The spell tests for three things, Mr Rookwood,” Elijah elaborated, returning to his desk and setting his wand down. “The fertility of the parent, the likelihood of producing magical offspring and the chances of having a male. You luck out on two of three and are entirely pitiful in the first. So, how are we going to play this?”

It was never going to end well. The meeting that had preceded the one he now sat in, dripping wet, had been proof enough of that. No amount of childish petulance could evoke compassion in his sister and his father’s earlier disdain for his youngest son being incapable of settling down with a Pureblood first, prior to the law, was in itself an indicator of the way the Rookwoods felt about the Marriage Law and, in particular, their son.

Swallowing his pride, Theodore remained silent and merely watched the Pygmy Puff delight in his opportunity to become more of a drunk than he already was. As the women left the office, the Puffskien collapsed into Theodore’s lap with a contented smile on his face; though not before letting out a large - or, large for a Pygmy Puff - burp.

“If there are to be any children,” Theodore replied smoothly, brushing his fingers over the head of the Pygmy Puff. “Then I shall purchase the home in which we will live. My wife and I will muddle through this perverse idea the Ministry has of marriage and we will decide together whether it is Durmstrang, Beauxbatons or Hogwarts they attend. Though I should imagine it would be Hogwarts.” Theodore met Elijah’s gaze testily. “I doubt very highly I would be rewarded by taking anything from the Ministry. I do not pretend to not want all of the tea and china that you’re trying to coerce people with if I am to put up with this farce but in the event I am castrated and my life made hell for doing so, I am going to shy from robbing you blind.”

Theodore swallowed the lump tethering in his throat and he was sure it was pride more than anything else. With a flick of the other man’s wand, he was dry again and Theodore allowed himself a small smile as he fingered the lapel of his blazer, delighting internally that no damage was done that couldn’t be removed with magic.

“I shall provide for my family, Mr Krum.” He stated finally, words he had been clamouring unsuccessfully to get at in his previous statement. “My...” He closed his eyes briefly. “Hallie.” It was distasteful on his tongue. Not her name, but the acceptance of the fact that it was actually going to happen by naming her. However ‘my Hallie’ was right. She was to be his. Not that she would take well to his claiming of her - being a modern woman and all that. “Would not want to accept anything from the Ministry. I am injury enough don’t you think? Let’s not add insult to it.”

Theodore rose hesitantly, unsure as to whether or not he really wanted to go through with the whole thing. Fight or flight was getting to him and he could feel his heart thudding in his ears.

Then of course, came the actual spell and Theodore focused on the Pygmy Puff burrowing into his blazer pocket as opposed to the spell itself - however, he couldn’t completely ignore it.

It went from red to yellow to green and back again nearly a thousand times before settling on an amber that was as clear as day, no deviations - not even a flicker of green. Theodore sighed, throwing away the spell as he brought his hands around his stomach.

Theodore looked down at himself, wondering where he personally had gone wrong. Where was it his father, his grandfather, his great-grandfather went wrong? What brought him to this point? Nigh incapable of having children? How?

“You won’t say anything,” Theodore repeated slowly, feeling the words turn to ash on his tongue like the cigarette burning away in the dish on the desk. He blinked at Elijah as anger rose in him. “Pitiful?” He spat back. “Excuse me? Who the hell do you think you are? How are we going to play this? You’re talking as if you’re going to hold this over m-” Theodore stared at Elijah, realising with painful clarity that that was exactly what the Deputy Minister was going to do.

Before Theodore could realise what he was doing, he had the other man by the lapels. Theodore dragged Elijah out of whatever power induced stupor the man had slid into and threw him onto the desk, sending a mixture of documents, Pygmy Puffs and whisky flying onto the floor. Theodore removed Elijah’s wand from the desk and pointed it under the other man’s chin, a feral, menacing look glinting in his eye as he felt the rawness of power rip through him, budding at the end of the wand that was his to command.

Allegiances had changed. In the wand. In Theodore. In Elijah’s eyes.

“Let me just get one thing straight, Minister,” He hissed. “You don’t threaten Rookwoods. You won’t threaten me. You will stay away from my cousin - and you know exactly who I am talking about when I say that. You will not come anywhere near our family as a whole or individually. You will leave Hallie alone. You will leave her mother be. You will not do anything that will in any way shape or form hurt my family - established or budding. I will marry into the Cooper family and vice versa because that is the law as it has been set down. You own me no further than that and you’ve made a mistake to presume otherwise. I will save you the trouble of blackmail and will inform Miss Cooper about my potential failings as a husband and father and she can take out of that what she likes. I will pay for our home, the wedding and whatever else you presume you can give me and I would perhaps eagerly take as bribery to comply. You can’t play with people’s lives like that, Krum. It doesn’t work that way. You don’t get to make that choice. So, if you need me to reiterate: stay away from me, from Hallie and our family. I don’t want anything from you and neither does she. Hang the promotion. Sack me if you will. Put me in Azkaban if you like - see if I care. You don’t own either of us. I suggest you remember that.”

Theodore stood back, pocketing Elijah’s wand. The other man scrambled to his feet prematurely and Theodore took his chance, revelling in the Muggle way of doing things. With an astounding crack, he felt the Deputy Minister’s nose crumble beneath his knuckles and he watched with satisfaction as the other man scrambled backwards into his chair, any shred of dignity he had gone.

“You remember what I said, Krum.” Theodore reminded him, lowly. “Or it’ll be the last thing you do.”

And with that, Theodore strode to the door and parted ways with the Ministry, leaving the office and the building all together as he made his way down to the atrium, not stopping to catch his breath until he Flooed out of the building and was back in the safety of his office in Hogwarts. Only then did he allow himself to fall onto the carpets. Only then did he throw the robes from his back and press his forehead against the cool wood of the floor. Only then did he allow himself a private moment of complete and utter candidness - where only the portraits of Headmasters could bear witness to.

Hallie followed Ana into a separate room to have her fertility tested. It was a scenario that she had never envisioned. Being in the Ministry, thrown with a partner against her will and now tested to see whether she could Conceive. Hallie just prayed she could, even if it meant having Rookwood as a Father.

'You can tell me the results in front of the others.' Hallie informed Ana before the spell was cast. To hide away, away from the man who was as much involved as her fertility as she seemed cowardly. He would find out soon enough, even Elijah Krum would know. Krum would know as though he were God, looking down on the world. What had happened to Robert Lupin? She had only met him at graduation. He seemed kind, welcoming, unlike Krum. Krum seemed the type to enjoy a position of power. Abuse it. 

(OoC: I shall just reply as though Ana has now performed the spell so we don't have to do a million posts before we go back in the room - feel free to cast the spell)

After the spell was cast Hallie dabbed her eyes on the sleeve of her dress, her dress that her future husband seemed to care very little about. With that Hallie strode back into the main room, not looking at Ana. It was an odd feeling. Someone knew her fate and in a few moments she would too. 

Or what if she was fine? What if she was exceedingly fertile yet Theodore wasn't? Would the marriage be called off? Hallie hoped so. Perhaps he was a good man, her Mother seemed to think him polite, had this meeting being just a dramatic persona change? After all Hallie hadn't been her usual self. Usually Hallie wasn't so filled with rage. 

'Where's Theodore?' Hallie asked Krum noticing the empty room and addressing her future husband by his first name for the first time. 

Ana gave a slight nod in Eli's direction as she opened the door and directed Hallie to another, less male-filled room. Something about how calm Hallie was about all of this made Ana nervous for her. She, as a grown woman, had never needed to ask that question. Her husband had cared at one point and there hadn't been a question. She had her own children.

After they entered the side room, Hallie's declaration surprised her momentarily. "If you want it that way, then sure." Ana agreed lightly.

After a moment of pause, Ana looked at Hallie seriously, pushing loose strands of hair out of her eyes as she did. "Before we do this, I want you to know that you do have options if this doesn't work. You very clearly want to be a mother someday, so if anything goes wrong today there is always adoption."

Perhaps it was strange, Ana mused, that she seemed so suddenly to worry about the future of the people involved in the marriage law she created. And it was strange, she'd admit, but she definitely understood the fear for one's children. Or lack thereof, she supposed.

She pulled out her wand and looked at Hallie once before drawing her wand across the space of air in front of Hallie's torso. A range of colors alighted between the two of them and she watched as the colors revealed themselves.

Ana smiled to herself before gesturing that they should return if she wanted the new to be announced in front of the others. Upon returning to the room, Hallie could get the words out before Ana could.

Her heels tapped on the floor as Ana returned to her seat, watching Eli closely. Something was wrong with his nose. Ana decided, though she knew she would feel a bit guilty about it later, to let him deal with it, or fix it himself. When he didn't pull out his wand, she raised an eyebrow carefully.

"I take it he took off?" She asked lightly.

Ana gestured to the chair once more in the hopes that Hallie would let it pass so she could tell her what happened with her test. "Everything looks good for you, Miss Cooper," Ana began, "You shouldn't have any issues with having magical children. And you'll perhaps be pleased to know that your chances of having a little boy are high."

Tossing a glance towards Elijah, Ana nearly asked about Theodore's results. But if Hallie wanted to know, the girl would ask. Ana could always find out when Hallie left and she and Eli were getting ready for the next potential disaster.

"If you haven't any more questions, you're free to go. Just remember that we will be checking in to see how things are progressing." Ana reminded Hallie after a moment.