Bad Romance

Chapter 67

Chapter 67: A Lestrange with an Unexpected Flair for Politics

Roger Bulstrode led the way down a short hallway to the Minister's office. The room was small and plain. The French Minister rather matched the room, or at least his mouth did, for it was small and pinched. The rest of him was larger, his build being stocky bordering on fat. His short, yet bushy, iron gray hair was combed back from a wide forehead. His eyes were beady, and Bellatrix couldn't decide if she found them to be stupid or mean.

He waved at the only two chairs in the room, other than his own, as he wished them a good morning in heavily accented English.

The Bulstrodes took the chairs. Bellatrix closed the door, then she and Rodolphus flanked them, slipping smoothly into bodyguard mode.

"We are here on a matter of international concern," Roger Bulstrode began.

"Aren't you always?" the Minister drawled, and Roger gave a humorless chuckle.

"This matter is even more pressing than usual, I am afraid. You are aware of Delphini and the threat she poses to the wizarding world, I presume?" The pained expression on Bulstrode's face clearly stated that he bloody well hoped the French Minister was aware, because he certainly wasn't in the mood to make him aware if he was not. Bellatrix got the reasoning behind that, because it was quite a lot of mind bending information to make someone fully aware of Delphini.

The Minister frowned, nodding. "Yes. Miss Delphini Dolohov, or is it Riddle?"

Roger smirked. "Precisely. And it has come to our attention that she has an excessively strong interest in the acquisition of Murtlaps and Fire Crabs."

After a slight pause, the Minister spoke. "I am listening."

"Our Head of Defense believes that she will use the magical properties of both of these creatures to make herself and her followers immune to magic," Bulstrode said bluntly. "If she does, she can obviously use magic on us and we will be hard pressed to retaliate in time to do much good. Our Minister is requesting that you put a ban on the sale of either of these creatures and collect any in your country by magical decree, housing them somewhere protected."

For several seconds, the French Minister stared blankly. "Have you any idea just how costly such an effort will be?" he demanded coldly, giving Bulstrode an expression that clearly said he wondered if the other man had lost his mind to bring him such a request.

"It shall cost even more if Delphini manages to use the beasts against your country," Bulstrode shot back, bristling.

"Is Mr. Grindelwald even certain that she can block magic with the use of these creatures?" the Minister pressed. "You said that he BELIEVED she would do so, not that he KNEW it. Consider this. What if we invest all the money and effort your Minister requests, and Mr. Grindelwald is mistaken, and Delphini does something else that we no longer have the finances to prevent?"

Bulstrode looked as if he may strangle on his own rage, or perhaps it was his tongue. Bellatrix wasn't sure.

"You're exactly right," she told the Minister, giving him a warm smile. "The bitch could bankrupt us all trying to protect against her if we aren't careful."

The Minister nodded, expression tentatively appreciative.

Smelling blood, Bellatrix smoothly went in for the kill. "Mr. Grindelwald is a seer, though, so his hunches are more valuable than most." Of course, Grindelwald had not indicated that he'd had a vision about this situation. and Bellatrix did not believe he had. She had not said he had, though, simply allowing the French Minister to read into it what he would.