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"Well, as we finally reached an agreement, let's get down to business" Penny said, and we all nodded, and those who were standing took their seats.
"So... where do we start?" Sirius asked, and we looked at each other before Amelia started to speak.
"I've just joined you so I don't know where we are in the plan" Amelia started to say, "Then I think we should start with you filling me in on how things are going and what you've done so far so that I have an idea of what I need to do"
Realizing that she was right, and that it would be best to keep everyone informed of our progress with the plan, I started to speak.
"In a way we didn't make any big headway with the Ministry, but this is the last part and final hurdle to exonerate Sirius, so it was to be expected that it would not be so easy," I said with a shrug.
"Yes, however we already have some ideas on how to 'convince' Fudge to help us, and Penny and I are working on it" Nick continued shortly thereafter.
"Well, but you should know by now that it won't just be Fudge that is the problem, and that the main obstacles will be the wizarding families who don't want a new Lord Black, right?" Amelia asked.
"Well, that won't be a problem if we play our cards right" Andromeda said, and I could hear a small amount of malice and revenge in her voice, obviously directed at the would-be families that would try to stop us.
"And what cards would those be?" Amelia asked with interest.
"According to Ethan's plan, we'll just need to…" Sirius started to say, but he was interrupted by Amelia.
"Wait, what do you mean 'Ethan's plan'?" she asked with a strange look.
"Huh... I don't know if I understood your question..." Sirius said confused.
"She's wondering if Ethan is the one who created the plan we're following" Andromeda explained to her cousin, not taking her eyes off Amelia, "And as for the answer, it's yes"
And listening to her Amelia opened her mouth to say something, but Andromeda continued.
"And actually who planned everything, who chose and assigned roles to each person in the group, and who is overseeing every part of the plan is Ethan himself" she said, and I looked at her a little surprised, not letting it show in my face.
I really planned everything and it could be said that I'm overseeing every part and phase of the plan, but I don't assign functions or jobs to anyone, and she should know that since she chose to be Sirius' lawyer.
But as I looked at her, she looked at me sideways and blinked, and I was a little confused until I understood what she was doing.
Simply put, Andromeda was testing Amelia in her own way.
"So you're saying that Ethan is 'commanding' this group?" Amelia asked, and Sirius looked at her with a frown sensing something was wrong with her question, and meanwhile Nick and I exchanged glances and we sigh.
"Err... Yes?" my dad was the one who answered, not liking the look or Amelia's tone.
"Sorry, and no offense intended, but are you really sure it's the right choice to let a child plan and run everything, especially when we remember that this is a case that can and will rock the British wizarding community?" she asked, and Sirius's gaze changed to a frown.
Nick and I already knew something like this was likely to happen, but that didn't stop Penny and my parents from looking at Amelia offended.
Noticing the look she was getting from everyone, Amelia tried to explain herself, turning to me.
"Look, I know you're very smart and cunning, more than I expected, and from what Susan told me you're also very good at magic and I don't doubt it" she started to say, and overhearing this those who knew the my magical prowess snorted, "But this is a very important case, and even though you're more mature than those your age, I don't think you have the right skills to be the leader of this group"
I obviously felt a little offended by what she said, but I knew she didn't know me and therefore had a right to doubt my abilities.
And then there was the fact that she was the head of the DMLE, which meant that anything involving the ministry, depending on the severity of the situation, would harm her, and the Sirius case would cause a lot of damage that she wished she could prevent, and seeing planning in a child's hands must not be comforting to her.
When she finished speaking, I shrugged and was about to say that I really didn't care who was the one to lead and plan everything, as long as Sirius was cleared.
But before I could even open my mouth to say anything Sirius spoke, looking at Amelia with a serious look that didn't hide his irritated look and his dry tone.
"And who do you think should lead us? You? Someone we just added to the plan?" Sirius asked.
"Look, I'm not saying I should be the mastermind behind all the planning, but…" Amelia started to say, but Sirius cut her off.
"But what? Do you really think that just because you are the Head of DMLE you would be eligible for this 'job'?" He asked, and then looked at Amelia mockingly, "Sorry if this offends you, but what makes you think we trust you enough to accept your leadership? You're someone most of us only met today."
"Yes, I know, but…" Amelia tried to say it again, but Sirius continued.
"And you talk about Ethan not having the skills to plan everything, but who do you think managed to bring us all together?" Sirius asked rhetorically, "Ethan was the one who found and captured Pettigrew, he was the one who discovered the whole truth about the case 12 years ago on his own, something his ministry couldn't do. He even brought the Flamels to help me!"
'Should I tell him that the Flamels were already planning to spend Christmas here before I even called them?' I wondered.
"And I don't know if you know, but until you were here it is only because of him, and yet you tell us that he doesn't have the right capabilities to plan and run everything?" Sirius finished, with a low growl as he glared at Amelia.
I was taken aback by this outburst from Sirius, and as the room fell into a tense silence I looked around at everyone not knowing what to say.
I felt happy to see Sirius defending me, but looking at Amelia and understanding her point of view, I knew that Sirius' words, while correct, were still a little harsh.
But I could feel that little arrogance Amelia had deep inside her, something that naturally comes with leadership positions, was shaken, and that might not have been expected, but it was necessary.
"Sorry but Sirius is right" Penny started to say breaking the silence, "We're only here because of Ethan, and if he's not involved then I don't think there's any point in us staying here" she finished.
"And I don't trust anyone in the ministry to be the one running everything," Andromeda said.
"And besides…" my mother, who had been silent the entire conversation, began to speak, "I don't think it would be wise to try to change things now since we're already at the most critical part of the plan"
"And even if we were to choose a 'leader', who do you think would be a good choice? Obviously not you, as we don't have 100% confidence in you" Andromeda said, looking at Amelia but speaking to everyone in the living room, "Sirius is still reeling from the effects of his imprisonment and I know him well enough to know that he is not and would not want to be a leader. Ted and I don't want that job either, and i think it should be the same for Sarah and Joshua"
"Yes, I prefer to stay away from a leadership role, mainly because I trust my son and I'm not very knowledgeable about the wizarding world and how it works" my father shrugged, and I smiled slightly at him.
"In this case, only the Flamels are left, and I think they've made it pretty clear that they support Ethan, so why make all this fuss when things were fine the way they were?" Andromeda asked, and Amelia didn't answer her, choosing instead to look at everyone in the room.
Amelia then sighed, shaking her head.
"Yes, I think you're right" she said, and then she looked back at us, "I'm sorry for trying to interfere with your plan, I think I was a little too rash and proud"
She then turned to me.
"And I'm sorry Ethan," she said, and I could tell she meant it.
"Fine, you were just trying to help" I said with a shrug but a small smile on my face.
And Amelia, realizing that I wasn't offended by her words, relaxed her shoulders in relief.
"Well, now things have been cleared up, but I think we'd better wait a bit before we start talking about plans, and in the meantime we can all clear our heads and relax" Nick said, and we all nodded.
"Great, then how about some tea?" my mother asked. She then saw Penny looking at her, "And some coffee, of course" she said, earning an amused smile from the immortal lady.
"Eh... I think tea would be good" Amelia said smiling.
After Amelia said that, my mom got up, then led Amelia into the kitchen, with Penny following.
Once they were gone, I turned to those who continued into the living room.
I was glad that they had come to my defense, and although I felt that I should be the planner and leader of everything, especially given everything I had already done and because it was my plan, I still didn't feel comfortable being the 'leader' of this group.
Maybe it's because it's weird for me to be in a leadership position, or maybe I just don't really enjoy that responsibility.
But I couldn't deny that the points raised by Andromeda and Nick were good ones, so I didn't say anything.
"Thanks for standing up for me, but it wasn't necessary," I said, turning to my dad, Nick, Sirius, Ted and Andromeda.
"Sorry, but I think it was necessary" Sirius huffed.
"Yes, someone needed to knock her off her little pedestal a step or two" Andromeda said, and obviously this had nothing to do with her little grudge against the ministry.
"And if we didn't make the situation clear to her maybe she would try to leave you out of the plan" Ted said.
"And that would be useless on her part, since even if she didn't accept my participation in the plan, I would still help, not least because, forgetting the fact that she is only someone we call to help us, she has no power over me to stop me from doing what I want" I shrugged.
"Yes, but what if she had refused to help us and still threatened to report us?" my father asked.
"Well, if that happened, I wouldn't worry too much" I said, and then a smile crept onto my face, "Especially as I'm sure someone here probably knows the Memory Charm"
And hearing this, their eyes widened, understanding what I was implying.
Even with Amelia being Susan's family I wouldn't let her get in the way of my plans, even if it meant using Obliviate on her.
"Well, now I remember why I shouldn't mess with you" Sirius said jokingly after a few seconds, breaking the awkward silence.
"I'm glad to hear that, because it means I trained you well," I said, a smug but playful look on my face.
"Haha" Sirius laughed dryly.
"Oh, don't be upset" Andromeda said coming up next to him, "Who's Andy's fluffy puppy? It's you!" she cooed, a playful look on her face.
"Sigh... I hate you guys" Sirius said.
""Nah, you don't"" Andromeda and I both said, and Sirius just hung his head in defeat.
End.
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(End AN: I'm trying to get my friend to watch the Star Wars movies, but he says the movies don't look fun or interesting and are just too confusing.
And it's ironic to hear that coming from him when his favorite movie franchise is Transformers.
But since he insists on not watching Star Wars, I think I'll try to get him to watch another franchise, like Lord of the Rings.)