Out of the Dark

Robert was back to living life openly. The hell with Gellert Grindlewald. The hell with dark arts followers. He had left his famiy hidden, albeit back in England now. The wizarding public had had enough of Roland's lying propaganda about the dark wizard who was apparantly too paranoid to die. He tired of the lies the wizarding world were saying about him and the ones closest to his heart. And it was time to set it right..

He had gone to Sparks when Lizzie went in to do the morning baking. It had been 4 am when he had gone in. His intention was to spend part of the mornng there and then go to resume his regular duties at St. Mungos. He had started with a pot of Earl Grey back in the bistro's office and had audited the books. He was pleased at the extraordinary good work that Lizzie had done in making the bistro prosperous.

Lizzie had fixed him a breakfast place and he took it to his favorite table in the dining room and refilled his tea mug and then picked up a copy of the Prophet and sat down. It was an old familiar ritual that he never tired of. Breakfast, tea, and a newspaper. Somehow, it never got old.

Esther was in need of a strong coffee. She had had a hard morning recieving Howlers about something that had not been her fault. Why should she care that some man she had spoken to once had died near her office? She only knew Karsten Burgaard because he dated her sister once. The memory of her sister dying was still in Esther's head clear as day. She went to the counter and got a black coffee and a bakewell tart. She got some sugar and stirred it in. She took a long drink before seeing Robert Lupin sitting at the table across from her. She decided this was the time to get an interview. Or maybe just chat. She made up her mind to just pick up gossip and add it to her interview.

"Hello Mr Lupin, Esther Harel, Daily Prophet. Mind if I sit here?"

"Well, Ms. Harel. I heard you got the post. Congratulations," he said. "You're wlecome to join me but I am a bit surprised you'd want to sit with an outlaw like me." He laughed. "So--tell me. Which version of this story shall I presume you want to hear? The propaganda that James Roland has been churning out and getting much too well paid for by Gellert Grindlewald? Or would you prefer the truth?"

Robert was well knowin for cutting right to the heart of any given matter. Lizzie came out from the kitchen, prefering to serve Robert herself, and made sure to top off his Earl Grey when she brought Harel's tart.

"Your cookies are ready for your grandchildren," Lizzie said to Robert as she topped off the cup.

"Thank you, my dear," Robert said to her. "You'e added them to my account?"

"Yes, of course," she said. "But..I"m charging you double of you don't bring me picture of the triplets next time." Robert laughed

"I'll remember," he promised as Lizzie left to return the tea pot and to return to the kitchen. He redirected his attention to Harel. His interest was finding what side of the political fence the new editor was on.

She looked at Mr Roland in surprise at his comment. "I'll have the truth please." She knew how to shape it into a pro-Ministry account. But, anyway, Esther was still shocked at what he had just said. She managed a smile but it was somehwat forced. Did he take her for a liar? She smiled again and got out her parchmnet and quill. "Pray tell, the turth if you would." She put on a pleasant face and listened...

He was fishing, and so was Harel. He saw the traces of a forced smile on her face. That spoke volumes to him. He chose his words carefully now. He wasn't going to say anything to her that he would not say directly to Grindlewald himself.

"It is more than obvious that I have decided to defy the arrest warrant he issued. But...look at the wizarding world around you, Harel. He's fighting a losing battle. There are very precious few that believe the lies Roland's spun anymore. Grindlewald's web is coming apart. Be careful which side you choose now, my dear. This cannot continue as it is. The witches and wizards in this country are angry and with good right. Look at the subtle signs al around you. There is a riot brewing right under your nose. He's losing all sense of control with this. And he's depending on nut jobs like Barker and Forbes to continue to make him look like he's still on the top. But quite honesly, no man who divides his soul just in order to run from death awhile longer, is ever little more than an egotistical, self centered killing machine. Consider this as me calling him out. Gellert Grindlewald is a tyrant who hires murderers and mercenaries and sadists to propetuates his plans. This cannot end well for him. Its just not possible."

Esther stared into space. She wasn't bored, just scared of what was happening. She hadn't expected that the Minister's web was falling apart. He mentioned the riots and everything else. This was getting too much for Esther. Not many people knew how young she actually was. She had every thing that had worried her come back. A man telling the truth was scarier than telling a lie. She nearly cried that these words were so true. He then mentioned sides. It was the hardest question someone had ever asked her. She was visibly shaking by that point. She sat down and was silent. She looked at Mr Lupin and she felt like she was becoming no better than Grindelwald himself...

The division on Harel's face was as transparent as glass. Robert leaned back easily and took a sip of his tea. He did truly understand where she was coming from. The lies had been professionally done and had been prolific. He didn't blame her a bit.

"You did say you wanted the truth," he told her gently. "But you will have to make the choices for yourself about not only who you think is telling the truth but also in what you think your values are and what you stand for. Unfortunately, times like these make even the most neutral person rethink their stance. It just is the nature of the beast when one finds that war may well have come right their to doorstep.

"Let me give you one small piece of advice--whether you believe me or whether you don't. You're young enough to have a long and promising career in journalism or anything else you want to do. But...you are not in the position where you absolutely need to come out and take a hardline stand right now. You do have Roland doing that for you. If I were in your shoes, I would merely stand back and let the man dig himself deeper into his own grave, right alongside his mentor, and then assert yourself when the fireworks are over.

"Harel, think one moment. What is there in it for me to lie to you? The worst that can happen is that you smear me all over the Prophet and its not like that hasn't been done before. The best that can happen, as far as I'm concerned, is that Grindlewald reads that I'm calling him out and that he might, if I'm lucky, be man enough himself to come out of hiding and try to kill me. At least if I die in the process, perhaps I'll take him with me. I have not one damn thing to lose. And I wont' waste my time, as short as it appears it might be, with lying and then trying to preoccupy my brain with trying to remember what the hell I said. I find the truth is infinitely easier to remember."

Esther was inspired. This happened very few times. She usually went her own way. But this was different. "I'll do just that sir." She was going to stand backuntil the earthquake had passed. She wasn't going to end up like Pompeii or Herculaeneum. She was going to end up like Stabia, standing strong but slightly weakened. No-one was going to go through this without being harmed in any way. She smiled and stopped shaking. She was starting to like this man...

He did notice that she was getting past the rattling he'd provided for her so early in the morning. He liked her raw potential. He recognized potential when he saw it, and he could see that if she survived the thrashing that any witch or wizard might well find themselves on the receiving end of, she might well be a successful young editor.

"You know, if this were another day and time," he gave her a slightly wistful smile,"We might have been having this meeting in my office over tea and your portfolio. I would like very much to read your work. Although I suspect I shall be reading that soon enough. As for how you decide to treat me in print, I trust you will do as you feel best. You truly would be wise to simply allow Roland a free hand to churn out the last of his desperate potshots at me while he can. The louder he screams, the more insecure he only shows he is becoming. And that provides you much valuable time to settle in and to let him take any and all the hits that the Ministry is likely to receive while Grindelwald battles for power. All you need to do is hold your ground. And believe me, Roland's been around the block long enough that he truly can cope with it. He is tough enough. Make use of his experience in battles and let him shoulder it. He's a warrior, in his own way. He's fighting for what he believes in, and I admire any man who has the courage to do that--even when I believe he is dead wrong. . He and I just have very different ideas about what defines good and right. I don't think he's evil, but I can't say so much for the man he works for.

"If Grindlewald squeaks out some sort of victory, I don't see it happening without bloodshed. And, if he does manage to stall off a fall for awhile longer, if you have not come out against him and have allowed the 'celebrated Roland' bask in his own glory, then you come out smelling like a rose. And, as I see it, if you have avoided making an opinion in print, then if Grindlewald does fall, then it gives you time to decide if you want to run with him or if you want to hang in at the Prophet. It gives you time to do what the good journalists do best--and that is seeking out the truth. And you seem to me to be the sort that wants to not merely accept what others tell you but rather, I see you more interested in out the reality of it for yourself. I can see courage in those eyes. But remember, sometimes it takes more courage to be slient than it does to speak."