Appointment Four: 17:00

Bravery, it was not. Weakness, however, it most certainly was. The papers had been served to two people of a most volatile nature and Elijah wasn’t prepared to sit around waiting to see the outcome of that. Thankfully, Fauve had a school play that he needed to attend and it wasn’t something he was going to miss in favour of a rather less favourable setting and choice of company. He’d already had the vitriol from Jaquellene Dyllan and Theodore Rookwood combined and the last thing he needed was the pained looks and the forked tongues from the two he knew were expecting him and Ana to suitably ruin their lives.

The ‘bribery’ stood though and while he knew the gentleman was suitably housed and the like, the lady would probably benefit from something in the way of compensation. Elijah was not going to pretend that what he was doing was right but he certainly wasn’t going to wait around and let them tell him it wasn’t. So, once his briefcase was packed and he’d swapped his robes for a smart suit that was proper and right for the Muggle-Magical mix school that Fauve was in, he turned to Ana with a smile as he took the briefcase in hand.

“It will be fine, love.” He assured her, pressing a brief kiss to her cheek before stepping back and straightening his tie. “I’ll see if I can be back before the meeting ends but I trust you’ll do fantastically.” He looked down at his watch and smiled regretfully before stepping away from her lithely. “I had better go. Have a good afternoon, darling!”

And with that, Elijah apparated out of the Ministry; knowing full well he’d left his co-worker to the wolves.

The worst thing was that Mira knew she shouldn't be surprised. They had broken up and gotten together in every possible way - why not this too? Of course Elijah Krum was enough of a coward to dump her via Ministry law. That asshole.

With a stroke of mastery the blonde applied her blood-red lipstick, the contrast of her pale-white skin becoming all the more striking. She waved her hand in front of her face, palms out, and the nonverbal spell cleared and polished her already perfect skin. Mira's hair had been styled minutes before and it fell loosely across her shoulder and back, curling lightly in the style of a princess and bounding perkily when she moved. She stepped back from the vanity table and admired herself in the full-length mirror, popping her ruby red lips and smoothing down any wrinkles in her dress, a dangerous smirk spreading.

There was nothing that gave Mira more pleasure than putting on her battle dress before the war.

Stealing one last glance at herself she spun around and walked towards the door, grabbing her purse on the way out. She walked through the bright halls of Krum Manor with her head high, trying to tune out everything but the beating of her heart and the blood rushing through her veins. It was too much. It might be the last time she might see that painting, that view, those wonderfully ugly drapes. It was the last time she would smell the Scottish air, filled with the sound of their adoptive children's laughter and yells.

She hated him. She hated him for taking away her life and home, her family and future. Everything was being ripped away from her and she was completely powerless to stop it. Yes, how she hated him for making her love him. As Mira moved down the hallway of her his home she let the emptiness take hold, the cavity in her chest growing larger and larger the closer she got to the door. By the time the blonde got to the foyer she was empty. As hollow as a person could possible be while still alive.

In the place where her family and future had once sat she now let fill with hot, boiling anger. And to her relief she found that this was easier than all the love. It was just as warm inside her chest.

Mira's delicate hand rested on the doorknob and she caught sight of the gold and diamond engagement ring that Elijah had given to her not so long ago. She let go of the knob and brought it up in the air, wiggling her fingers and watching the way the jewel glistened in the afternoon light. For a moment her lips turned up in a smile but the next it was gone and she scowled, opening the door and stepping out into the last hours of the day.

- - -

Mira knocked on the door of the Ministers Office twice. The loud sound carried through the relatively empty hallway with ease and Mira pulled herself up a little straighter, ready to face her now ex-fiancee. She was let in a moment later and entered the room with the grace of a woman who had been practicing making an entrance since she was old enough to walk. She looked around the office, displeased to see only one woman sat within. No Elijah Krum and no mysterious match.

"Ms. Levski" she greeted politely, an undertone of coolness in her voice. Mira had met the older woman at Ministry events she had attended with Elijah but had never really gotten to know her. But in all honesty it wouldn't matter now if she was the nicest woman on the planet, Mira would hate her all the same. She stepped further into the room. "Is Mr. Krum not joining us? I'd rather hoped I would see him." She smiled, though it didn't extend to her eyes.

Dear Mr Albus Severus Potter,  

Being that you are within the stipulated age range you have been selected for compliance to Ministry Article 203: Matrimonium Legem.....

Tap tap tap. Heels hit methodically, almost rhythmically against the cold stone slabs,  echoing hollowly. Towards the periphery,  huddled in chilly alcoves and wrapped in business robes, people glanced furtively and whispered.

Be advised that the match the Ministry has selected for you is, indeed, the best that you can be provided with in terms of both superficial and physical attributes.....

Albus snorted.  Best indeed. Towards the side of the ministry  corridor, one grey haired lady in plum robes startled at the sound and twitched away, inching towards her office door non- subtly ; almost as if heresy was contagious and handcuffs would immediately be sprung on her for being within snorting distance of one Albus Severus Potter. The article had not been well received and now standing in pure Ministry territory; Albus had never felt more..... there.

Your match has been selected based on mirrored criteria that the Ministry required you to provide for us. We believe that you have the best match possible in your future spouse and let us be the first to wish you a very long, happy, fruitful marriage.......

Best match possible. Best match possible. For one single,  traitorous second, Albus's mind had flitted back to her. Imagined for a fatal moment what would happen if she, replete with frumpy clothes, muddy sneakers and brilliant red hair was actually sitting behind that door; his assigned match.

There was nothing to imagine. For one, her highly dramatic appearance in funeral garb (god, that incorrigible,  frustrating idiot ) in the Minister's Office had created quite a good wave of gossip. She had met her match already. For another, if she had been sitting behind that door, looking up at him with that pale face which looked so bloody vulnerable but had no compunctions whatsoever in calmly shattering whatever they had between them ; then Albus would have turned round and walked out of the door and nothing would compel him to turn back.

Now, we understand that it is important for you to first get to know your spouse. That is why the Ministry is allotting you fourteen days in which to get to know your future spouse and then another fourteen in which to actually marry.....

It was surreal really,  walking along the corridors of the Ministry,  straight back, sure step,  walking under the spotlight. The very same boy who had crept through the hallways of Hogwarts like a shadow too ephemeral to be noticed. Who smiled politely and talked politely and was too mediocre to be anything other than the middle Potter sprog. Now after..... this.... and her.... and everything else, knocking on the Minister's door...... his fears until a week before seemed laughable. Nothing could compare now. Nothing.

However, before any of that we must first establish that you and your prospective spouse are fertile...

One potion. One potion, ordered from the catalogue of a little known Chinese potioneer,  and any fertility test conducted on Albus would turn so false that a ninety year old Muggle would prove to be more virile than him. One deceptive little potion. After that,  Matrimonium Legem was pretty much nullified. He would appear to be completely useless for the purpose. However, if today by any chance his deception was discovered,   then....handing himself off to Azkaban custody was better done publicly,  to gain maximum impact.

An even stranger,  uneasier sense of wonder flicked past his mind; politics was coming too easy to him.

He knocked briefly and stepped inside.

The woman inside was an ex-Slytherin like him,  a year below him if he wasn't mistaken. He saw her white face, her carved features; and felt nothing. He inclined his head, "Miss Anderson. So I am to be your partner in this joke of a legislation."  Almost absently,  he wondered when he had  started finding blondes bland.

Another, sharper smile to the woman behind the desk. "Madam Levski." Smoothing out his forest-green,  dark enough to be black, cloak over his black shirt and blacker,  tailored trousers; Albus settled back into the leather chair before the desk and leaned his neck, stretching out  kinks. The hand crafted silver cufflinks on his shirt gleamed off the viridian surface of his eyes. "No offence naturally, but how does it feel to ruin lives on a daily basis?"

Ana frowned darkly when she heard that Elijah was leaving - who was he avoiding so completely that he was going to leave her alone at this? She supposed that he understood her history as an Auror and figured she could take care of herself.

She did her best not to roll her eyes at his apology, but she leaned into his kiss regardless, mumbling a, "Yeah, whatever." In response. Eli probably knew that she wanted to be more upset than she was with him. After their first meeting, Ana had figured that the issues just came with the meetings.

She sat down in his chair was his bid her a last goodbye, giving him a half-smirk in reply.

The first to arrive was the woman, who apparently was either naturally cold or already angry. Her inquiry after Elijah made Ana raise an eyebrow subtly, wondering if this was one of the women Eli had been involved with in the past. If so, it seemed like a rather recent issue.

"He has a rather urgent meeting tonight, I'm afraid." She replied, knowing full well that the event he was meant to attend wasn't exactly urgent. He was avoiding her, though Ana couldn't figure why unless it was a bad relationship in the past.

Almost as soon as she words were out of her mouth, Mr. Potter knocked and let himself in. His greeting to Mira implied recognition but dislike for the whole ordeal, if not for the woman. Ana couldn't say she knew either of them - she had avoided getting too very close to many people. Elijah was probably the first person she had managed to get close to aside from her husband so long ago. Look where that had got her.

"Naturally," Ana replied lightly, returning a smirk in Albus's direction. The more strength she showed, the better. Something about this man seemed dangerous - she had heard of him being involved in Death Eater circles, though she wasn't one to be involved with either side.

"There are things about this law which have not been made publicly available yet, and I can't assure you that they will be announced. But I can guarantee you that the reasons behind it are perfectly sensible." Ana answered. Waving a hand at the chairs she added, "I do hope you're comfortable. We need to discuss your options for living, what the next four weeks will look like for you and the like. Oh, and we must test your fertility, Miss Anderson."

"Oh, of course he does." Mira grumbled to herself, disdain for her fiancee licking at her tongue. Was Elijah Krum really that pathetic? Too cowardly to even face her, having to hide behind a title and Ministry paperwork to break up with her. How she hated him. From his perfect head to his perfect toes, she hated every inch of him with a ferocity that she hadn't felt, well, since the last time they had broken up.

Moments later the door opened and she turned to see the newcomer, only the slightest skip in her heartbeat. As her eyes lay upon the face of Albus Potter she inwardly groaned, all vague feelings of nervousness or expectation demolished for good. There was no one good or bad to walk through that door. There was only someone who was not Elijah. Someone he had hand picked to make her remaining years a living hell. Best match possible..

She smirked slightly at his comment and responded with an amazingly good nature. "It would appear so, Mr. Potter." though she still spoke to Albus, her gaze turned towards the other woman in the room and her tone darkened sarcastically. "May it be long and fruitful." The entire letter had been an eloquently written piece of bullshit. After the initial horror at it's contents she had found a horrible amusement in reading it, almost able to head his voice as she did so. Only Krum could have written something so grotesquely civil.

"Oh, and we must test your fertility, Miss Anderson."

"I don't think that will be necessary." Mira's face remained stone cold "You see, Mr. Krum has already thoroughly examined that for me."

Had it really been only only a few nights since they had been intertwined among the bedsheets? Chest to chest, keeping each other warm as the autumn breeze whispered in through the partially open windows. It felt like an eternity ago. Up until the arrival of the letter this memory had been a pleasant one and she had always assumed there would be a thousand more just like it. Elijah in bed had always been the Elijah she knew best. But now these memories were tarnished and no most love was evoked from their images.

Lies and lust, it was all they had ever known.

"I can assure you I'm quite fertile. And so can he." Mira smiled at Ana emotionlessly, her eyes blank slates and her stomach on fire.

May it be long and fruitful.

A light, low , humourless chuckle made its way out of his throat, the sound hanging in air like a mockery of the current proceedings. Atleast the woman had wit. Things could be worse. Though he had never been a man given to prejudice or stereotypes, still...... he could have been stuck with a Hufflepuff.

He reflected on the the last unspoken sentence, just for a second. Things could be worse. What an absolutely ludicrous thought.

Optimism was always ridiculously overrated anyway.

The official, Ana Levski answered his question with another smirk, and wary eyes, as if the gossip had penetrated the walls  of even the highest, exalted echelons of the Ministry. This wasn't just the distrustful Ministry stare awarded to a rebellious upstart  though..... there was something careful about it, guarded. She knew something. Something she was probably better off not knowing. And she knew that too.

Albus met her stare with clear eyes.

It should worry him. She was one of the highest ranked officials of the Ministry, probably with a lot of power and strings dangling at her fingertips. He still remembered a time when he had refused to even talk to Katrina-Carlotta except under disguise, for the fear of being seen and accosted. Now though..... after..... living with this now resignedly familiar, tight knot in his chest, he could see the entire world knowing, and he couldn't give less of a damn. He hadn't even committed to anything yet, but Levski was free to think what she liked.

He had to thank Jack for this one thing. This apathy was remarkably refreshing.

"I don't think that will be necessary. You see, Mr. Krum has already thoroughly examined that for me."

Albus remained still in his seat. Unmoving. His right hand, lying elbow onwards on the table surface, inched forward till it came into contact with a cold, smooth surface. A glass ball paperweight, swirling with grey, cerulean and green. The roughened pads of his fingers traced out patterns on the cold glass, spinning it on the surface. Again. Again. Again.

A craftsman recognizes another maestro at his own trade. Albus Potter, man of masks, had no difficult in discerning that of another.

Best match indeed. They were certainly going to make one happy,  whole couple, weren't they?

One final spin, and the glass ball spun tumultuously out of his hand, rolling over the side of the table and hitting the some floor with a hard clank. His voice was quiet in the aftermath of the sound. "Now if that is dealt with, I assume I'm next in line for the test?"

Ana shot a raised eyebrow in Mira's direction at her comments, only slightly surprised by the bluntness of it all. Though Ana didn't know her, she guessed it wasn't out of the ordinary. The woman wondered for a moment if she should have prickled at the statement from the younger girl. It didn't matter, she decided. What Elijah did was not part of Ana's concerns, really. Or it shouldn't have been.

Instead of thinking about that, she simply stared back at Mira, keeping her face blank. Albus spoke, however, drawing her attention once more. He suddenly seemed  very interested in getting the whole matter over with. Ana certainly wasn't going to complain, though.

“If you wish, we could do that first, yes. Then I will explain your schedule to you.” Ana replied, standing and picking up her wand.

Pulling the wand across the air in front of the man, Ana watched as the colors moved and changed before her. Odd, she mused, that the test would so quickly know the answer to the silent question the wand asked by casting the spell. One eyebrow raised she looked up at Albus carefully, crossing her hands in front of her chest carefully of the wand in her hand.

“Is there anything you need to tell me?” She asked Albus, fully aware that her voice was likely more patronizing than it needed to be.

She didn't understand exactly what was happening, but the test had never predicted the negative side of the spectrum so quickly – even in the tests they had run before the meetings started. What she did know was that this test had to have been messed with in some way. Most everyone knew that the Potter and Weasleys tended to lack problems in fertility. But regardless of that, she was mostly skeptical of those she didn't know - which included a majority of the people in her life.

Mira watched as Ana preformed the spell, unable to see whatever the older woman clearly could. Whatever it was, she was clearly not pleased as she looked up and spoke to Albus with accusation in her voice. While Mira had no clue or context about what might be going on between the two she felt a certain satisfaction in Ana's frustration.

The poor woman had become the target for all of Mira's frustrations by being the face of the marriage law. If Elijah was not here himself, she was his puppet, which was almost worse. For all of the boiling anger she felt towards Elijah there was also still that drop of affection, where Mrs. Levski was without that privilege.

Mira's eye trailed across both of the other people in the room, lazily calculating their interaction. She was amused at the obvious tension and preferred to sit back and watch the scene unfold. The blonde crossed her legs, heeled foot bouncing slightly in the air with an oddly cheery rhythm.

How long was this going to be? The hollowness in her chest made Mira feel as if she could probably sit right here forever with no need to eat or sleep. At the same time she also worried that if too much time was spent in this office she would lose her cool and break down in some way. The last thing Mira could take was either of the other two seeing her upset. She wouldn't be a babbling teenage girl, crying that her boyfriend dumped her for the head cheerleader.

She was better than all of this.

((Sorry guys! I didn't see that it was my turn. Apologies.))

An eyebrow, darted up to reach his darker hairline, inspite of itself. "Explain our schedule to us." He repeated, with a what-a-wonderfully-stupid-day-this-is tone. Well of course. They were babies. Incapable of making decisions, having their houses and spouses and lives planned out by the government, of all people. Like toddlers in playschool, whose mothers patiently explained the day 'schedule' and do's and don'ts to them.

Of course his smile grew all more polite for all that. His right hand withdrew under the table, flexing.

“Is there anything you need to tell me?”

The mother-impression got so strong, that Albus had to physically fight down the impulse to nod faithfully in mock-sincerity and chorus in a sickeningly sweet voice: "yes, Mum." Except that he hadn't resorted to such bloody childishness even when he was thirteen, and it was more of James' style anyway.

Albus didn't speak for a few seconds, letting the woman hang, drawing the tip of his boot across the floor in parallel lines. Then he looked up, and probably the amusement in his eyes was a little too tangible. Madam Levski had just stepped right into the bog.

"You can't blame me, Madam. Rather interesting test results, no?" He enunciated graciously. Behind the lips, was a rapidly working mind, working out kinks in the plan. Media, yes. A fully public hand-over to the Ministry. Azkaban would be rather inconvenient but....it would be temporary.

His eyes hardened imperceptibly. If only he could give a flying f*ck.

On the outside, a farcical sigh escaped his lips as a puff of breath. Better play along, and keep her unawares for the time being. "But since the game's up, lets ....ah, throw sand over the entire thing." His foot etching out patterns on the floor stopped, hitching against the foot of her desk and tilting his chair back. "Do tell what lovely prizes the Ministry thinks is worth our freedom. I've been hearing things."

Mira's eyes followed Ana, but the woman pretended not to notice, instead focusing on Albus's face. Whatever this was, it needed to be stopped. Someone knew how to alter the results of the test? Making a mental note to alert Elijah to this new information, Ana rolled her eyes at Albus's response.

“Interesting, indeed.” She mused, frowning. “I suppose we'll just have to test you again at a later date.” The idea of him having to come back in made her slightly annoyed, but it mostly amused her. It was his own fault after all.

“I assume you are referring to the Rookwood wedding?” Ana asked, crossing her arms over her chest. “Well, that is not my area. I cannot, personally, promise any more than they were given. Or even that much. I suppose you can petition for such things, but I am merely the one in charge of the research and holding the meetings. That said, we should continue with the rest of the steps of the meeting. That way, you can head out and ponder what the two of you will petition for.”

Regarding them carefully, Ana paused to see if they would complain about this as well. She just wanted this meeting to be over so she could be out of the presence of these two. They were giving her a migraine.

“You will have two weeks to get to know each other, after which we will have another meeting to check on the progress. By the fourth week after this meeting, you are expected to be married. Whether or not you have a new house is not up to me.” Glancing at Mira once more, Ana raised an eyebrow. “Apparently we do not need to test you, Miss Anderson..” Blinking a few times, Ana let out a sigh before looking between the two of them. “Any more questions?”