kingsley

As Kingsley put his hand on Mary’s arm, her heart began to beat a little faster, and she looked up at him shyly, as touched by his words as she was by his obvious desire to comfort her. She was overcome with a sudden urge to throw herself into his arms, to let his strong arms wrap around her and make her feel safe. 

That is what it was about Kingsley, Mary suddenly realized. He made her feel safe. 

“And are you one of those people?” Mary asked without thinking, looking up at him, her tone a little breathless. 

Kingsley felt his breath catch in his throat as Mary looked up at him, completely disarmed by the way she was looking at him. If he hadn’t known how he felt before, he certainly would now. He thought he might be in love with Mary MacDonald.

“Oh,” she said, her face relaxing and nearly looking apologetic. “Sorry, thanks,” she said, running a hand through her hair. “A bit, why? Obvious? Kingsley right? I think I’ve seen your face on the posters with the whole Vote For the Future slogans.”

“I wouldn’t say obvious, just...noticeable?” Kingsley couldn’t help the tilted end that signaled he was unsure of whether what he had just said could be considered rude. “Yes, Kingsley.” He blushed slightly at the mention of the posters, embarrassed. The slogan hadn’t been his idea, but he supposed it was a good one. “I’m sorry, what’s your name?” 

@fervorblack​

Mary looked up to meet Kingsley’s eyes at his words, and smiled without thinking twice about it. It really seemed like he understood her, and as unnerving as that was from anyone that wasn’t Remus, Sirius, or Lily, it also made her feel an emotion that she couldn’t quite name, but she knew that she felt it mostly in the region of her stomach. 

“You’re right,” she replied softly, not breaking eye contact with him this time. “I just…sometimes I feel like I’m not cut out for this whole war thing. I know that we have to fight back, but…is there really any fight in me?” Mary didn’t know where all of these feelings were coming from – she was used to fighting for the people that she loved, but ever since James had died, Mary felt like the fight had all been knocked out of her, and she mostly just wanted to lie down and hide. 

Kingsley stood and moved closer to Mary, overcome with a desire to comfort her in some way, to touch her. Anything that would help her to not feel so down. “Oh, Mary, I know that you have so much fight left in you. It’s just that -- well, this war is prone to kick us all down every once in a while.” He remembered feeling a similar way, when his parents had been killed. 

Mary moved forward with the kettle, topping off Kingsley’s mug of tea before making her way back to where she stood, depositing the kettle back to the stove first. It made her nervous to be much closer to him, especially with that gaze that seemed to penetrate through all appearances. 

As he spoke, she looked up in surprise. He really did seem to see through everything, even her excuses. “I’m happy to serve the Order,” she said, her voice quiet, not entirely sure why she was so hesitant to tell him her real feelings. She knew that Kingsley would understand, and didn’t think that he would think less of her because of it. And yet, she felt somehow exposed, and it made her uncomfortable. Usually only Lily was able to see her this clearly. 

Kingsley felt a twinge of sadness that she didn’t trust him with the truth of how she was really feeling. It bothered him more than he’d like to admit, that she seemed so skittish around him sometimes. He just wanted her to feel comfortable, to consider him to be one of the people that she could confide in. 

Mary could sense Kingsley’s gaze on her, but she tried not to let that knowledge make her even more jittery than she already was. She focused on the task at hand: get herself a cup of tea. Going to the cupboard, she pulled out a mug and made her way to the tea drawer, opening it and choosing the one she wanted. When the water was finished, she pulled it off the stove and poured it over the tea. “Do you need a refill?” She asked, finally looking up to meet Kingsley’s gaze. 

She made her way over to him, leaning back against the island that separated the kitchen from the dining room where he sat. Her thoughts turned to the attack that she had just come from, and she shrugged. “I think they were properly chaotic. I left early – I came across Narcissa and wanted to get her out of there.” It was a great excuse – she hadn’t been comfortable with the mission anyway, and she thought Kingsley might understand that. 

As Mary looked up to meet his gaze, Kingsley realized he was staring, and looked away, embarrassed. “Sure, I’d love a refill,” he said, his voice meeker than usual. He couldn’t resist looking up after too long, though, and was glad to see that she was finally meeting his gaze as she answered his question. 

They had offered to move her into the minister’s office, as it was a bit bigger than her own. However, she had opted to keep her own. Helena had made it cosy over her time in it and it was entirely her own. She was content with working out of it, especially given that it was only a door way from the Minister’s itself. Helena was grateful Kingsley was the Order’s candidate, as she had a good feeling that he could win it. However, she wasn’t as worried about Rodolphus winning as some were, knowing that he could be persuaded if need be. Still, she really wanted Kingsley to win. 

“I’m doing rather well. You’re my last meeting for today, which is great because it means my day ends on a high note. What about you Kingsley? How’s your day been?” she asked, gesturing to the arm chairs she has off to the side of her office. Helena got up and went to the kettle first, and asked, “Would you like some tea? I’m going to make a cup for myself so it would be no trouble,” she offered. Helena flipped the kettle on after putting in the appropriate amount of water, and then moved over to said chairs and sat down across from him. “So, what’s coming up next in your campaign?” she asked.

Kingsley smiled gratefully at the compliment, glad that Helena didn’t see him as just another necessary but annoying part of the job. He was high up enough in the Order to know where her true loyalties were, and he was glad for this chance to work a little more closely with her. He only hoped that he would win this election so that together, the two of them could build the safer world that they wanted for the people that they loved. “I would love some tea!” He responded, his tone chipper. He enjoyed this chance to get away from the chaos that the Auror office was always in, no matter what was going on.

After the leak with Peter, Lily had started keeping her circle tighter. It wasn’t that she was paranoid, she was just exercising more precautions. They couldn’t afford for this to go wrong, as it could risk any number of them going to Azkaban. Lily was refusing to let that happen, and if that meant only letting a few people in on the mission, than so be it. Thankfully, the first part had gone off without a hitch, so far as she knew. Chaos and damage had been inflicted, but no one had been harmed. That had been the factor that Lily stressed before they had left. No one was to be harmed. 

Lily had carefully put wards up against the basement, only allowing a select few to pass through them freely. Having someone keep watch was an extra precaution though, and Lily knew that at this time it couldn’t hurt. The last thing she needed was for the wrong person to wander through, though, she knew most of their ranks would take little issue with what they’ve done. Still, it was a morally grey area, and Lily didn’t want anyone that couldn’t bear it to try to. 

“Good, I’m glad for that. I imagine the two of them set the first, or at the very least Marlene did, though I have no doubt they took the necessary precautions before doing so. They know how crucial it is that everyone remained unharmed,” she agreed. There were several people in the estate she’d have loved to have seen burn, but her organization wasn’t going to be the one to do it. They would not sink to their level. 

“Disoriented, but not very resistant. I’m sure the truth serum will help us get the answers we need, though with Ted, I don’t think he’s going to put up as much of a fight. We’ll see though. For the time being, he’s remarkably easy for a hostage,” she answered, only a hint of teasing present. 

Kingsley nodded his agreement. Of the Order members who had been positioned at the Black manor, he thought it was those two who would definitely be most likely to set fire to the place. It was maybe a little above the level of necessity, but he wouldn’t scold them for it, despite his own reservations about the thing. There was no doubt that the Black sisters deserved that kind of thing, but he was hesitant about what the rest of their world would think about the Order’s latest move. 

Sirius rubbed the back of his neck as he walked in after the attack at the Black Manor. He felt sore and an ache that moved all the way into his bones, especially after his talk with Andy. From what he could hear behind the closed door, Lily was probably waiting to wake Ted or already starting to interrogate him. Kingsley was leaning against the door outside and Sirius nodded his head in hello.

“Everyone back yet?” he asked, walking up Kings. He thought of him as a friend, and admired his hard work and mind, he was glad they could work together on this. “You alright?”

@kxshacklebolt​

“Like I said, I don’t remember most that happened that night, so how about you back off before I punch you?” Emma snapped at the Auror who had stopped her on the way into the Ministry, questioning her about the attack at the Lestrange event. As the man raised his hands and stepped back muttering something about crazy hot chicks Emma seriously considered sending a hex his way. But, feeling eyes on her, she turned to see where the feeling was coming from.  Oh. Him. “Can I help you? Would you like to ask something too?” she asked Kingsley. She’d known him before, in Hogwarts, and now as the face of the revolution—Him and Rodolphus. All talk as far as she’d seen, talk and fighting like elementary school children. “Sorry. Bad morning,” she said with a sigh, rubbing her forehead.

@kxshacklebolt​

After depositing Narcissa at home, Mary apparated immediately to headquarters, hoping that no one had arrived with an injury in her absence. Upon entering the building, she made her way to the kitchen, surprise causing her to stop on the threshold of the room as she realized that Kingsley was sitting at the table. She knew that he had stayed behind but would be involved in interrogating Ted alongside Lily. She was glad to know that he would be in the room with Lily – of course her best friend was more than capable of taking care of herself, but that didn’t keep Mary from being a worrier. And she trusted Kingsley to keep Lily safe with his calm presence and his Auror skills. 

She entered the room, heading to the stove to warm up the kettle and pour herself a cuppa. “Is anyone else back yet?” She asked casually, finding herself slightly jittery as she always did in his presence.

Kingsley smiled brightly as Mary entered the room, struck as always by the softness of her presence. He was quite fond of Mary -- the way she cared for the people around him reminded him of his mother. She had the same fierceness in her desire to protect her loved ones, the same softness in the way she cared for those closest to her. He was grateful that she was a member of the Order and that she was so willing to use her Healing skills to attend to everyone. It was an invaluable gift, and one that made Kingsley confident that they could keep their people safe. 

Sitting in her office, she was actually looking forward to her last meeting on the docket. Most of her day had been filled with people that needed her for one thing or another. Some where important, and those were the people she was truly happy to help, but most of them were arrogant men that talked down to her in some form or another and expected her still fulfill their every wish. It was exhausting, and Helena found there was a fine line between keeping her connections and reminding people that she was acting minister, not a doormat. 

However, her last meeting was Kingsley Shacklebolt and she was excited for that. They could talk political strategy and upcoming bills that she was trying to get passed. It was comforting having someone else that understood the political mind field she was navigating. Helena looked up at the knock at her door and smiled, “Come on in, Kingsley.” 

@kxshacklebolt​

Kingsley made his way from the Auror office to Helena Rosier’s office, located next to the vacant one that the Minister would one day occupy. It was a strange thing to consider that one day he might sit in that office, holding that post. It wasn’t something he had ever truly wanted for himself, but with the state of things in their world, he knew how important it was that someone like him hold that position within the Ministry. He only hoped that he could do it justice should he be elected. And at least he would have Helena as his right hand woman. 

Sitting outside the holding chamber, Lily kept her tea cupped in her hand. Thankfully, she’d learned how to brew a truth potion at a fairly young age, she had Severus to thank for that, and had a fair amount on hand, knowing that they’d need it. Lily refused to allow any for of torture to happen, not willing to breach that moral line. It was war, and she wanted to win, but she didn’t want to become the people they were fighting against to do it. She still had a clear line of what was morally right and wrong, and while kidnapping and using a truth potion bent that line, it didn’t totally obliterate it in her eyes. 

She kept her hands around her mug, and looked up when she heard footsteps coming towards her. Lily had been careful in who she’d made privy to this particular mission, and she’d selected only a few people to help with interrogation. Kingsley, Molly, and Sirius were the obvious choices, as they had Auror training, and were people she genuinely trusted within their organization. Seeing Kingsley, she gave him a soft smile. 

“I gave him a serum when he first woke up, so I’m just waiting for that to kick in before we interrogate him. How’d things at the manor go after I left?” she asked. 

Kingsley had kept guard upstairs while Lily prepared Ted for interrogation, knowing how important it was that they kept the circle small. Besides himself and Lily, only Sirius, Molly, Marlene, and Mary were aware of the fact that Ted had even been kidnapped, so anyone else who showed up at headquarters after they finished at the Black manor needed to be kept upstairs and away from knowledge of what was happening in the holding chamber downstairs. Luckily, very few people had received injuries during the attack, and Mary did her part to get people in and out quickly. 

@mary-mxcdonxld

@fourtesan

tbd.