Bad Romance

Chapter 70

Chapter 70: Work As Usual

"Did Mr. Grindelwald make you aware of the other favor we have done for the United States today," Roger Bulstrode asked President Quahog. As he spoke, he leaned slightly forward in his chair toward the President across the large square oak desk.

"Indeed he has," Quahog said enthusiastically. "Thank you all for that, by the way! The last thing we want to do is harbor her followers here. I probably should feel that it's a pity half of them got themselves killed, but I just can't bring myself to."

"Mr. Grindelwald asked that we be briefed when the fifty your Aurors brought in have been questioned," Bulstrode said and the President nodded. "Of course. If you lot have finished with me, I will get you settled in the break room where I shall have my Head Auror, Mr. Edison, come and see you as soon as he has things wrapped up with them." He smiled. "There is coffee if you'd like and even sandwiches as well if they aren't already eaten up by those piggish Aurors."

Rod perked up and Bellatrix felt herself straightening in her chair in interest as well.

"That would be brilliant! We haven't eaten yet and I'm famished," Rod shared.

"Well, let's get you fed right now," Quahog said, grinning at Rod as he rose from his large leather chair. "The break room is just down the hall." Smiling cordially, he opened the door to his office and led them to the promised room of breaks and sandwiches... and coffee!

More coffee was a good thing considering the lack of sleep, but the turkey sandwiches were amazing. Fortunately there were six left on the snack bar. Roger, Ali, and Bellatrix each got one, Rod got three and everyone got full.

The Head Auror had yet to join them, though, so there was time for another cup of coffee. As the four caffeinated themselves, they mostly sat in silence. For her part, Bellatrix had nothing to say that she wanted to risk the Americans' hearing if they happened to have magical eavesdropping devices in their break room. Mostly, though, she just had nothing relevant to say.

Bellatrix was considering a third coffee when the door to the break room opened and a small woman with a lot of bright red curls hurried in.

"Have you all left any coffee," she asked with a cheerful grin.

"Are you Edison?" Bellatrix countered.

The woman's intense focus was on the coffee rather than Bellatrix, though. "Good, there is some left," she said with a blissful sigh as she filled a cup.

"Edison?" Bellatrix prompted.

"No, I'm MacFee. You're waiting for Edison?"

Bellatrix nodded. "We are waiting to speak to him about the fifty prisoners."

MacFee shuddered, then slurped from her coffee. "Fuck, that's hot! I just burned the fuck out of my mouth! Yeah, I just got finished questioning those poor unfortunate bastards. There were five of us, Edison included. They were a mess! All fifty of them...you'd not believe the shit she has them thinking! It's insane."

"Has them thinking," Rod asked. His voice was quiet and nearly toneless, but he arched a questioning brow.

"It's some sort of spell, but it isn't an Imperius! It also isn't anything we've been able to fix or crack even with the help of Healers. So we're just going to hold them in custody...for their own safety, of course." She took another careful sip of her coffee. "Good, that shit cooled down some!"

"What does she have them thinking, though," Rod asked.

"Weird shit like Muggles should be given reparations, we should use our magic to literally serve them so that we can all live in harmony, better treatment for Dementors, no hierarchy among wizards. One of my favorites was no law enforcement, that'd go over just brilliantly!"