Blood of the Moon {Remus Lupin}

Chapter 62

I hope you all have a lovely day :)

Auriga made her way through the familiar Ministry corridors, and made it to the Auror Office. It was largely different to how she remembered it. Gone were the days of feet on desks and throwing quaffles - now the Aurors looked as though each and every one of them worked overtime. They were slumping, tired, and the desks were littered with paperwork and coffee mugs. Auriga found the empty one with her name on it and filed away her quills, ink and large stack of parchment, before pinning a picture of Draco one Halloween on her pinboard.

"Found your desk, I see?" Robards, the new Head of the Auror Office, said upon his approach.

"Yes, thank you," said Auriga shaking his hand. "It's a little different than how I remember."

Robards nodded. "Hopefully you can help change that. If you'll sit?" He indicated Auriga's chair before conjuring his own. "If you can gives us any names, places...anything at all. Any common tricks or ongoing plans..."

"Oh I've got plenty of names, but I'm sure you'll have them on your watch anyway," Auriga said and Robards nodded again. "The problem is, these witches and wizards are very powerful - and I don't mean magically. One of them will have access to at least four different Manors or Estates. They're all old family friends so that increases the number of places they could inhabit safely."

"Right," said Robards, "Can you list any of those places?"

"Of course I can," said Auriga, "And I will. But what you need is more of me. I'm close with Sirius Black, and between us we could probably name a third of the places. I believe Andromeda Tonks can help too."

"Tonks's mum?" asked Robards with a frown.

"Used to be a member of the Black family," Auriga said. "She defected. Like I did and like Sirius did.

"We need to find a way to get more of these defectors to talk to us. And there's a multitude of kids who can tell us where these estates are, the rough layout of them, sat under at Hogwarts for months at a time and away from their parents."

"Are you saying we should be arresting teenagers?" asked a nearby Auror who'd been listening in.

"If we must," said Auriga. "But a better use of our time would be to un-brainwash them. They've been brought up to believe certain politics, and I can guarantee you that if we're the ones who can change that, they'll help us out."

"What do you suggest?" asked Robards.

"I'd start with subtle propaganda in the Prophet," Auriga admitted. "And on the radio. Whenever there's a Ministry spokesperson, make it a muggle-born, or a well-known family name fighting against the Dark Arts. Think Sacred Twenty Eight."

"Doesn't that just sound like we're the bigots?" asked another Auror.

"Exactly," said Auriga. "They'll hear the old name and listen to that. And from there we work on putting our anti-Dark-Arts messages out."

"There's no way that'll work," scoffed the same Auror.

"Why not?" Auriga said. "Is Nymphadora here?"

"Who's Nymphadora?" asked Robards with a frown.

"She means Tonks," said Shacklebolt.

"I'm here!" came a voice from the back. After a shuffle, Tonk's bright face was revealed. "We went to school together, so if any one of you thinks of using that name, good luck using your legs!" A chuckle went round the room.

"When we were at school, what was I like?" Auriga asked. "Be honest."

"I mean, I knew you were alright, but for the most part no one liked you," Tonks admitted, and Auriga was unsurprised too hear it. "She was basically your stereotypical Slytherin. Nothing like she is now."

"Thank you," Auriga said, "The Malfoys are renowned for our politics and we know it - hold it above our heads even. If one of us can defect post-Hogwarts, it should be a walk in the park."

"The only problem," said Woodburn, "Is that Dumbledore won't let us near that school. Unless we're guarding the gates."

"I've been thinking about that," Auriga said, "And I've come to the conclusion that we need to get Dumbledore back on-side. This is probably more for the higher ups, but the dementors of Azkaban aren't doing anyone any favours. They'll join He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named the very first chance they get."

*****

"You want to remove the dementors from Azkaban?" Scrimgeour said, the line between his brows deepening.

"Yes, Minister," said Robards, "We believe it would be an effective way of getting Dumbledore on-side. And therefore Harry Potter."

"And this was your idea?" Scrimgeour pushed.

"Not exactly," said Robards, "Malfoy had a lot of say." Auriga sent a brief smile in the way of Scrimgeour, who stood and walked around his desk, staring hard at her.

"Did he put you up to this?" he asked, "Dumbledore?"

"Not at all, Minister," Auriga said, "In fact, it's very rare indeed that he and I agree. But they're most likely already under He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's control."

Scrimgeour brought his right hand up to his temple and maintained his stare, as though he was trying to wear her down. When he saw that this wasn't having the desired effect, he sighed. "Robards, you're dismissed. I'll think about it." Robards nodded and left the room. "Please, have a seat, Miss Malfoy." Auriga obliged and Scrimgeour made his way to one of the windows, leaning against the wall. "Why did you take this job, Miss Malfoy?"

"I felt ready to get back to work," Auriga answered simply.

"But it was over two weeks between me sending my offer and you replying," Scrimgeour said, still staring at her intently. "I presume you spoke with Dumbledore about it?"

Auriga paused, calculating her next best move. "We discussed it yes," she decided, "He told me that ultimately, it was my decision. And I decided I would make the most of it."

"Make the most of it?"

"I could have taken the job and picked up any old case," Auriga said. "That's what everyone else does. I've decided to play to my strengths. Not just what I can do, but what others can't."

"And what might that be?" Scrimgeour asked, now taking his seat opposite her and looking at her with profound curiosity.

"I know the Death Eaters," said Auriga, "Some of them since birth. I know how the mind of a pureblooded bigot works, because I was one. All our department needs is information, and there are young minds holed up in Hogwarts just waiting for the prejudice, and therefore the information, to be squeezed out of them. All we need is Dumbledore."