lasting_legacy (![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} lasting_legacy) wrote in ![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small} hp_random,@ 2008-06-16 23:17:00 |
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Picture Prompt: London Bridge is falling down
Who: Matthias Heim, and the world is watching
What: “Taking England back”
When: Within days of the attack on Hogwarts, and allegations
A/N: The letter is used with the knowledge and blessing of their muns.
The cameras blind him. His hands shake. He isn’t sure why. Straightening his tie, Matthias Heim feels another volley of camera flashes. McNair stands behind him, stoic and quiet. That’s the rub about partners, about his sort of people; once you get into bed with them they’re vocal and helpful allies, but the moment the fire’s on they don’t hesitate to fall silent. Matthias doesn’t mind. He knew from day one that McNair’s help was questionable and conditional. But it got the job done.
He looks at his hands. Clean. But shaking. He isn’t sure why.
They say Healers make the worst patients. He tries to recount in his head all the causes of body tremors. There are hundreds of them. Thousands maybe…
He’s getting very dizzy.
“Contrary to popular belief, I have not come before you today to address the heinous accusations that I or my department were in some way connected to the attack on Hogwarts School. My only comment on these baseless allegations is they are clearly meant to undermine my reputation and distract the people from the issues. They will not succeed. I will continue to ensure England’s protection.”
He looked down, dragging his fingers against the parchment as if he wasn’t sure it was real. He stifles his churning stomach.
First, do no harm…
“…For…for too long we have allowed reckless and dangerous elements into our society. For too long, we have turned a blind eye to past transgressions. For too long those elements of our society that time and again have brought war and destruction to our borders have been allowed to run free. This is not the first time we have been promised peace, nor would this be the first time those who we have offered the olive branch to have used that guise of peace to infiltrated our homes, our businesses, our places of education…like a cancer…”
Those laws. In his name.
“And like a cancer, those elements of our society have threatened our very lives. Time and again, despite truces and defeats, these creatures have returned- each time more brutal and vicious then the last to destroy everything we have held dear. I stand before a united England and say, ‘No more. No more. Not this time.”
Simon brings him a glass of water, and taking two long drinks Heim stops. The cameras burned and once more, he thinks about Matthew, of the creature that now wore his face. He thought of St. Mungo’s, being called to the hospital that day ten years ago after the Death Eaters attacked, seeing Zelda trembling and finding comfort in her father…so certain he would comfort her because he couldn’t save her from the monsters.
Matthew…who he couldn’t even comfort…who he never had a chance to say goodbye to…
“We will stop this now, before it goes any further.”
Heim lifted up the parchment. The cameras stop. He looks out for a moment, staring at each reporter’s face, at Simon’s and McNair’s. It seemed for a moment that everyone had stopped breathing. In truth, he thinks he has.
And for one brief second, he realizes how Lucius must have felt every time he donned that mask and Cossack and made the entire world pay attention.
“…I have in my hand a written confession from the daughter of the Deputy Headmaster of Hogwarts, where she admits to her role in the killing of those people in the park the night of my attack. It is written to Professor Lupin himself, and to her mother, the celebrated Auror Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin. This letter was obtained through legal means by my department and as Secretary of Magical Creatures, I compelled to make it public. Furthermore, as Inquisitor of Hogwarts, I must call into question the actions and behavior of Headmaster Snape for fostering and protecting such a clear conspiracy in which the laws cannot work because those who have sworn to uphold them think themselves and their families excused from them. I call on the Auror department to finally attend to their duties, and protect us from such dangerous elements. And, as Secretary…it is my heavy duty to call on Minister Prince to authorize the temporary detention of all registered werewolves in England until such a time we can see how deep and expansive this web of subterfuge goes. Never again. No more. We are taking England back.”
He steps away from the podium, and stunned for several moments, Simon cannot speak. Funny, his aide always seemed to have something to say. And then, the world stops listening and begins to shout: McNair is back at the podium, fielding questions and continuing with the rhetoric. Simon is scurrying beside Heim, scribbling notes and demanding answers. He hands Simon the letter, and keeps walking.
It’s not till he’s in his office that Heim collapses against the door and gets sick.
Who: Matthias Heim, and the world is watching
What: “Taking England back”
When: Within days of the attack on Hogwarts, and allegations
A/N: The letter is used with the knowledge and blessing of their muns.
The cameras blind him. His hands shake. He isn’t sure why. Straightening his tie, Matthias Heim feels another volley of camera flashes. McNair stands behind him, stoic and quiet. That’s the rub about partners, about his sort of people; once you get into bed with them they’re vocal and helpful allies, but the moment the fire’s on they don’t hesitate to fall silent. Matthias doesn’t mind. He knew from day one that McNair’s help was questionable and conditional. But it got the job done.
He looks at his hands. Clean. But shaking. He isn’t sure why.
They say Healers make the worst patients. He tries to recount in his head all the causes of body tremors. There are hundreds of them. Thousands maybe…
He’s getting very dizzy.
“Contrary to popular belief, I have not come before you today to address the heinous accusations that I or my department were in some way connected to the attack on Hogwarts School. My only comment on these baseless allegations is they are clearly meant to undermine my reputation and distract the people from the issues. They will not succeed. I will continue to ensure England’s protection.”
He looked down, dragging his fingers against the parchment as if he wasn’t sure it was real. He stifles his churning stomach.
First, do no harm…
“…For…for too long we have allowed reckless and dangerous elements into our society. For too long, we have turned a blind eye to past transgressions. For too long those elements of our society that time and again have brought war and destruction to our borders have been allowed to run free. This is not the first time we have been promised peace, nor would this be the first time those who we have offered the olive branch to have used that guise of peace to infiltrated our homes, our businesses, our places of education…like a cancer…”
Those laws. In his name.
“And like a cancer, those elements of our society have threatened our very lives. Time and again, despite truces and defeats, these creatures have returned- each time more brutal and vicious then the last to destroy everything we have held dear. I stand before a united England and say, ‘No more. No more. Not this time.”
Simon brings him a glass of water, and taking two long drinks Heim stops. The cameras burned and once more, he thinks about Matthew, of the creature that now wore his face. He thought of St. Mungo’s, being called to the hospital that day ten years ago after the Death Eaters attacked, seeing Zelda trembling and finding comfort in her father…so certain he would comfort her because he couldn’t save her from the monsters.
Matthew…who he couldn’t even comfort…who he never had a chance to say goodbye to…
“We will stop this now, before it goes any further.”
Heim lifted up the parchment. The cameras stop. He looks out for a moment, staring at each reporter’s face, at Simon’s and McNair’s. It seemed for a moment that everyone had stopped breathing. In truth, he thinks he has.
And for one brief second, he realizes how Lucius must have felt every time he donned that mask and Cossack and made the entire world pay attention.
“…I have in my hand a written confession from the daughter of the Deputy Headmaster of Hogwarts, where she admits to her role in the killing of those people in the park the night of my attack. It is written to Professor Lupin himself, and to her mother, the celebrated Auror Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin. This letter was obtained through legal means by my department and as Secretary of Magical Creatures, I compelled to make it public. Furthermore, as Inquisitor of Hogwarts, I must call into question the actions and behavior of Headmaster Snape for fostering and protecting such a clear conspiracy in which the laws cannot work because those who have sworn to uphold them think themselves and their families excused from them. I call on the Auror department to finally attend to their duties, and protect us from such dangerous elements. And, as Secretary…it is my heavy duty to call on Minister Prince to authorize the temporary detention of all registered werewolves in England until such a time we can see how deep and expansive this web of subterfuge goes. Never again. No more. We are taking England back.”
He steps away from the podium, and stunned for several moments, Simon cannot speak. Funny, his aide always seemed to have something to say. And then, the world stops listening and begins to shout: McNair is back at the podium, fielding questions and continuing with the rhetoric. Simon is scurrying beside Heim, scribbling notes and demanding answers. He hands Simon the letter, and keeps walking.
It’s not till he’s in his office that Heim collapses against the door and gets sick.