HP: Bad Intentions

"So, you admit that you surrendered yourself?" Alexis, the middle-aged Auror, spoke after a long silence, his tone clipped and cautious.

"To be precise, from your point of view, that might be the case," Blake replied nonchalantly, his tone carrying an air of amusement. "But from my perspective? Not even close."

Alexis frowned, irritation flickering in his expression. "Then enlighten me. From your point of view, what's the reason for your appearance here?"

Blake studied Alexis for a moment, his head tilted as though assessing whether the Auror was worth his time. "Before I answer that, would you mind telling me your name and title? I need to know if you have the authority to negotiate here, or if we'll just waste time discussing things only for you to regret them later."

Alexis' frown deepened, but he answered with a steady voice, "I am Ale Alexis, Head of the Auror Office of the French Ministry of Magic. I believe my position is sufficient to hear your... true intentions."

Blake tapped his chin thoughtfully, as if considering. "Hmmm... barely," he concluded, shrugging.

The flippant response made Alexis' jaw tighten. As Head of the Auror Office, commanding hundreds of elite Aurors, his rank was one of the highest in the French Ministry of Magic. Yet Blake's dismissive attitude suggested otherwise.

"Oh, don't look so sour," Blake said with a smirk. "You've got to understand—I'm carrying a bounty of half a million Galleons. Do you know what that means? If your rank isn't high enough, anything you say to me might as well be hot air."

Alexis forced himself to keep calm, his fingers flexing at his sides. The boy wasn't wrong. A lesser-ranked official's promises could easily be overturned in the face of such a staggering reward. Only someone of Alexis' stature—or higher—could speak with any certainty.

"Fine," Alexis said curtly. "Since my rank is apparently acceptable to you, let's cut to the chase. Why are you here, Blake?"

Blake leaned back slightly, folding his arms. "Well, it seems you're smarter than most of your men. So, I'll give you the short version—I'm here to clarify a misunderstanding."

"A misunderstanding?" Alexis echoed, incredulous. "You caused a public scene, blocked the entrance to the French Ministry of Magic, and humiliated my Aurors—all for a misunderstanding?"

"Exactly," Blake said, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I came here to address the ridiculous rumor that I kidnapped Cassandra and Fleur. It's absurd, isn't it? Me, a kidnapper? Merlin's beard!"

"If it's so absurd, why didn't you clarify it earlier?" Alexis shot back, struggling to keep his frustration in check.

Blake gave an exaggerated sigh. "Oh, I tried. But your Aurors have this annoying habit of attacking first and asking questions never. I ran into two of them before this, and instead of listening to me—or to the very girls I supposedly kidnapped—they drew their wands and started flinging spells."

Alexis grimaced. The accusation struck too close to home.

"In fact," Blake continued, "the first thought of every Auror who's seen me today has been to hex me on sight. Even when Cassandra and Fleur were standing right there, they attacked recklessly. It's as if my life—or theirs—didn't matter."

Alexis felt a cold knot forming in his stomach. The implications of Blake's words were damning. If his subordinates had acted without regard for the safety of two influential families' daughters, the consequences could be disastrous.

"So," Blake concluded, "I had no choice but to fight back and come here—to find someone reasonable. Lucky for me, you're the first Auror today willing to listen."

The weight of the situation began to sink in for Alexis. His subordinates' greed for the bounty had led them to act irrationally, potentially jeopardizing their careers—and his own.

"Damn fools," Alexis muttered under his breath. He clenched his fists, anger boiling beneath the surface. It wasn't Blake's predicament that angered him—it was the recklessness of his Aurors and the position they'd put him in.

Attacking without hesitation, even when two "hostages" were present? Their actions weren't just reckless; they were criminally negligent.

And the repercussions didn't stop there. The Walley and Delacour families would undoubtedly hold the French Ministry of Magic accountable. If they decided to leverage their considerable influence, the fallout could destabilize the Ministry's standing within the wizarding world.

"Who attacked you first?" Alexis growled, his voice low and dangerous.

Blake raised an eyebrow, amused. "Your Aurors, obviously. You're the first one I've met who hasn't immediately tried to hex me."

Alexis clenched his jaw, his frustration mounting. If his subordinates had simply followed proper protocol instead of succumbing to greed, this entire fiasco could have been avoided.

The realization that this "misunderstanding" could have been prevented only made Alexis angrier. Blake hadn't needed to block the Ministry entrance or humiliate them—his men's incompetence had handed the boy the perfect excuse.

Blake watched Alexis' expression shift from fury to resignation, his smirk widening. "You see now, Alai? This whole mess isn't really my fault. It's just bad management on your part."

Alexis inhaled deeply, forcing his emotions under control. After a long pause, he said, "Blake, can I call you that?"

"Of course, Alai!" Blake replied cheerfully.

"Well," Alexis began, his tone cautious, "although you may not believe me, I want to say this is all a huge misunderstanding."

At that, Alexis holstered his wand and motioned for the other Aurors to do the same. As they busied themselves repairing the damage to the street and Obliviating curious Muggles, Alexis turned his attention back to Blake.

"If this is a misunderstanding, we should talk," he said, stepping closer.

Blake tucked his wand into his belt, showing no sign of worry. "Alright, let's talk."

As Alexis approached, his gaze drifted to the dog lying at Blake's feet. Though its appearance seemed ordinary—its eyes slightly crossed—it radiated a subtle yet unmistakable aura of menace.

Alexis shuddered. Despite the dog's calm demeanor, it was clearly no ordinary animal.

"So," Alexis said, masking his unease, "how do you propose we resolve this misunderstanding?"

Blake grinned. "Simple. First, the French Ministry of Magic revokes my bounty and clears my name."

Alexis nodded reluctantly. "And?"

"Second, I was attacked indiscriminately, so I think a little compensation for the mental distress is fair."

Alexis grimaced but agreed. "Fine."

"Third," Blake added, his grin widening, "Cassandra and Fleur were also endangered, so their compensation should come through me."

Alexis bit back a groan. "Of course."

"And lastly," Blake continued, his tone turning mock-serious, "the medical expenses for my injuries need to be covered as well."

Alexis blinked, incredulous. "Medical expenses? You don't even have a scratch!"

"Ah, but what about the emotional scars?" Blake quipped, feigning a wounded expression.

Alexis' eye twitched. Gritting his teeth, he forced out, "Fine. Emotional scars too."

"Great!" Blake said brightly. "You're really reasonable, Alai. I appreciate it."

Alexis plastered on a strained smile. "I try."

Blake suddenly straightened. "Oh, one more thing. I'm a minor, so you'll need to discuss these terms with my guardian."

"Your guardian?" Alexis echoed, his voice tinged with confusion.

"Yes, they're right here." Blake gestured toward an empty section of the street.

Alexis turned, puzzled. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the air shimmered, and two figures stepped into view.

Alexis' breath hitched. Dumbledore stood there, his piercing eyes twinkling with amusement. Beside him, however, was a figure that sent a chill down Alexis' spine—Gellert Grindelwald.

"Blake's guardian," Grindelwald said smoothly, stepping forward, "is me."

Alexis froze, his mind reeling. The infamous Grindelwald was this boy's guardian?

"Shall we discuss terms?" Grindelwald added, his smile razor-sharp.

Alexis' voice faltered. "Y-yes. Of course."

=============

Want to read more?

Join my Patreon

patreon.com/Max1mus

Also Please vote for this work with your Powerstones

And don't forget to leave a review