15th of November 1995, London, Great-Britain

They entered the luxurious restaurant together.

It was peak time and the place was full of people who were enjoing their lunchtime; guests in expensive, elegant robes, sitting at the mahogany tables, eating, talking or reading the newest edition of the Daily Prophet. The two tall men looked around. One of them, with a long trench coat were examining the environment like he was searching for signs of possible threats (anyone could have told he was an Auror) while his companion made a quick glance at his watch, checking if they are in time. They’ve arrived on the dot.

„Don’t you think this place is too… popular for having a conversation like this?” the one with the trench coat asked. Although he seemed to be a man full of determination, his behavior showed he rarely visits rich places like the restaurant was and he was feeling uncomfortable.

„I have lunch here on every Wednesday.” answered the other man calmly, with the voice of someone who really spends lots of time at luxurious locales and he put his elegant, long coat on the hanger. „Come. Our table is ready and I have short time to stay; I gonna have a meeting at court in three hours. Are you sure you would like nothing more than a coffee?”

„Yes, sure.” the man with the trench coat nodded, with the hidden message that he didn’t really care what he will drink or he drinks anything at all. He was waiting for something else than that coffee: the news his companion had brought. It was only caution and politeness which hold him back from immediate questioning.

„All right then.” his companion said. He was a really handsome man in his late-thirties, with short black hair and strict, penetrating icy blue eyes. He was in a black robe which was no less elegant than his long cloth coat. As he crossed between the tables many other guests greeted him or nodded at his direction.

They found their table easily, next to the window but far enough from the other tables. It took some time to give their orders to the waiter. The man with the trench coat was sitting uncomfortably on his chair and when the waiter left he couln’t wait more and spoke.

„So, you’ve found something.”

The other man nodded with a serious face, searching for something in his briefcase.

„Please wait for a moment, John.”

„Tell me she is all right please, that she’s not in danger, nothing bad is happening to her.” John Dawlish looked like a different man now than he was known in the Ministry of Magic, not that official, self-contained and gloomy Auror. His handsome companion rose an eyebrow and put a paper between them onto the tabe.

„You see her every day, you know she’s well.”

„I see the face she shows to others, not her real one.” Dawlish shook his head. „She’s my daughter, I know her or at least I know this much about her. She doesn’t want me to be the part of her life… I could have done something against it when she was a child but I was so blind to see and now it’s too late. I want to help her in her life, to protect her from any kind of threat but she refuses me.

The other man’s face was emotionless but now his look softened a bit, it was not that strict and formal.

„Here, take it.” he gave the paper to Dawlish. „You’ll get some information from these. But please accept that I can’t tell everything to you. You know who sent me to look after her and I have many reasons to follow what they ask from me.” He was thinking a bit while Dawlish took the paper and started reading with excitement and impatience. „As you see your daughter, despite of having strange friends nowaday, is not in danger. If she would be I would act against it myself. Lucy is my relative, no matter she knows nothing about it. Maybe we see each other in the Ministry sometimes but we never talk each other, not even formally.

He gave some time to Dawlish to read the document again and again like the Auror could never read enough information about her daughter he lost many years ago.

„I wanted to follow her just to see she’s all right, to see how her life had changed. I failed.” he said in a quiet, sad voice, and an unidentifiable emotion ran across his face (remorse maybe? the other man couldn’t tell). Dawlish tried to read in his his eyes. „I also failed spying on her when she returned this summer and I’m an Auror who has experience in following others. Then how could you…?

„My Father was the best agent of MACUSA’s Secret Intelligence Service, I’ve learned a few things from him.” the other man answered with a discrete smile. „And my Grandfather… well, you know. He still is the Head of MACUSA, he can get nearly any information he wants. And (just to mention it) I also have my own tricks.

Dawlish made a short, nervous laugh.

„You and your family… You will take me to the grave.”

Titus Graves, the well-known wizarding judge, highly respected figure of wizarding law and member of Wizengamot leaned closer, his face became a little more serious but his gaze didn’t.

„I have an uncle who loves telling phrases like this. He calls them ’graves-jokes’.” he said. Dawlish felt embarrassed when he realised why his companion said that.

„I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that. The news you bought, and all… It made me really…”

„You don’t have to apologise.” Titus looked friendly at Dawlish. „It’s about your daughter, of course you’re not focused. I understand that.”

Dawlish were watching him with a thoughtful gaze. Titus Graves was a well-known name in the Ministry of Magic but now he realised he knew nearly nothing about him. The grandson of the legendary Percival Graves was highly respected member of Wizengamot for fifteen years by now. He often saw him in the Ministry, heard about his cases but never spoke or worked together with him, until that year’s autumn… when he had turned to Percival Graves and his wife Rowan, after he failed getting informations about her daughter… Lucy’s distant relatives (the girl was the granddaughter of Rowan Graves’s brother, Reynard) were living in the USA for half a century. Dawlish had only heard about them until they helped him once, when Lucy was a teenager and sneaked into the States illegally; Dawlish had no other choice than turning to the MACUSA, and Percival  Graes for help… And now they decided to help again and sent their grandson, Titus to keep an eye on Lucy. The wizarding judge was as discreet and official as his grandfather, a man of law and a surprisingly talented and strong wizard… he had to be that powerful if he managed to follow Lucy Dawlish without getting noticed. Dawlish liked him, since the first time they met personally. Titus was working for his grandparents but he shared some of his informations with Dawlish. They enjoyed each other’s company and understood each other quite well… and they were almost in the same situation: Titus also had a rebellious child.

Their orders arrived, coffee for Dawlish, lunch for Titus but the judge seemed to have no appetite. Dawlish just realised how tired and gloomy his face was. (Maybe following my daughter is that hard and exhausting? Lucy is a clever girl… it’s not easy being unnoticed around her for that long.)

„Family?” he asked quietly after a short silence. Titus shrugged.

„They’re fine. Joanna went to visit her parents for a few weeks and Merton… Merton.” a light grin ran across his face and he shook his head, like he did every time when he was speaking about his son. „He spends his last year at Hogwarts. I’ve persuaded him to complete the N.E.W.T. of Defence Against the Dark Arts… not becouse of me or becouse of the Graves family’s reputation but for himself. I want him to be able to protect himself if it’s needed. Well, now that Dolores Umbridge works there as an Inspector by the request of the Ministry, Merton created a chaos around himself.”

„What happened?” Dawlish asked with a sudden interest. Titus sighed.

„You know how rebellious Merton is. But now… he makes the frump insane.” Titus couldn’t decide he should act angry or he’s allowed to be a little merrier by the fact. „Of course Umbridge has no courage to punish him becouse he’s member of a famous family and she can’t threaten him like the other children whose parents work in the Ministry… Dolores Umbridge has no power to fire or influence me. I’m in a position which is too high for her. Of course the things Merton does give me a massive headache… Umbridge wants to talk me almost every day. Merton always comes up with something new. It’s quite exhausting and causes a lots of stress.” Titus scratched his chin. „To tell you the truth, sometimes I feel I know nothing about Merton. He is so different, not like the other members of my family. His way is not the way the other Graves followed for centuries… Of course I accepted this, no matter that it was strange and really hard; I still don’t understand why I’m the one who happened to have a child who is so different. And he felt it… at first it was hard to gain his trust. But I don’t want him to become something he doesn’t want to be. I don’t want him to be like the other Graves if he doesn’t want to. I tried to support him in everything becouse his life is not mine.”

„He…” Dawlish started in an uncertain tone. He was surprised by his companion’s sincerity; Titus Graves has never spoke that much to him, especially not about his personal life. When they met they were always talking about work and politics, sometimes they mentioned their family in one or two sentences without showing any feelings. And of course there was the case of Lucy Dawlish as a topic to discuss every time. Maybe talking about the girl was the reason Titus opened for him a bit; John Dawlish had faced with problems like these once.

„He has joined the Weird Sisters.” said Titus. „The rock band. He has really strange friends, not those guys you want to see by your side. Once I visited a concert they gave… half of the audience left immediately when they saw me. The funny thing was that I didn’t look that official, I changed appearence and everything.” he made a short laugh. „But Merton, of course, lectured me that everyone knew I have high position in the Ministry.”

Dawlish looked a little surprised but he smiled.

„I had no idea you’re familiar with that world.”

„People would never guess what I’m familiar with. They wouldn’t believe that when I visit the USA I’m having lunch in the nearest KFC with my Grandmother; we both love fast food. Or that I’m a frequent visitor at Hog’s Head Inn, and the cauldron my wife uses for potion making is from the collection of Mundungus Fletcher.” Titus blinked with a flash of joy. „But please don’t mention this last thing to Joanna, she knows nothing about it.”

Dawlish was looking at him with disbelief. It took some time for him to realise that despite his carefree behaviour, despite he’s trying to hide it Titus Graves is not only exhausted but he’s in a really tense and careworn mood. Dawlish has never saw him like this.

„Is everything all right?” he asked quietly, carefully. Titus nodded and he seemed to be focusing on his lunch for some minutes. Then suddenly he asked.

„Have you read today’s Prophet?”

„Yes I did.” both Dawish’s face and voice were stern as he answered. He leaned closer after he looked around quickly. „I have no idea if anyone still believes…”

Titus put his finger in front of his mouth with a warning move and Dawlish understood the hidden message: he was not in the position to judge openly the newpaper of the Ministry. Not even in front of friends. He sighed and tried to find another way to speak.

„It’s about him again, am I right?”

Titus knew what he meant despite they had no chance to speak about this topic before; Dawlish was an Auror, he had to be loyal to the Minister and Titus Graves had always had his lonely way to deal with things.

„Sometimes we had chance to talk, to have conversations about various topics, especially before he left Wizengamot. Last time we spoke after the trial of Potter but…” Titus frowned with a thoughtful expression in his eyes. „I have my reason to keep one’s distance from Albus Dumbledore but I know he is a person who worths listen to. I don’t know what the truth is but only fools can’t see the threatening signs and I could never forgive myself if anything bad happens to my family only becouse I didn’t pay attention to those. Time is ticking… we have no much time left, I feel it. I wish I could do more than I’ve already done.

There was a long, gloomy silence. Dawlish had no idea what to say for a moment. He understood what his friend was talking about; once he had in the same situation and he failed.

„So that’s why…”

„I had to make a few security measures, to prepare for the worst and it was hard, harder than I thougt.” Titus sighed. „We remember those times well, you and I. And if Dumbledore is right and those times will return soon… if he returns… Joanna has agreed to move to the USA, she’ll leave soon. She’ll be safe with my Grandparents. But Merton…” he stopped for a moment, frowned again with that strict, official-looking gaze of his, trying to hide his feelings, his worry which Dawlish could see on his face and which made the Auror surprised and tense. Titus Graves had never shown an sign of fear before. „Merton… he doesn’t want to leave. I just couldn’t persuade him to go, I failed. He wants to stay, to live his life here with the band and I would act against my philosophy if I try to force him to do something I want but he doesn’t. But he just turned to seventeen, he’s barely an adult, for Merlin’s f*cking sake! Pardon…” he added discreetly, calming himself a bit. Suddenly he looked extremely careworn and tired. Dawlish knew this well, that state when someone can’t do anything but watching the happenings around them and worry… this was something which could break even the strongest people easily, especially when there was noone to share these things with. And Titus Graves was way too discrete and disciplined, a man of law who has never shown any feelings during work and shared facts of his life so rarely even with those who were closer to him. Suddenly Dawlish felt that maybe he understands and knows more about him than he did before.

„Being a father is far more harder than I have ever thought.” he said oddly while he was crumpling the edge of the document. Titus answered with a sad smile.

„A drink would be good for both of us if you decide to join me after my meeting. Unfortunately I have to wait until that.”

Dawlish was examining him for a few moments. His friend has managed to hide his feelings perfectly, again, in a quite elegant way.

„How about Fire Whisky?” he asked hesitantly. Titus Graves nodded.

„Excellent choice.” he looked at his watch with an unreadable face. „I really hope that meeting won’t be that long.”

Author’s Notes:

 - This scene takes place during the happenings of Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix, a few months after Harry and his friends started their fifth year at Hogwarts and the Ministry sent Umbridge there to teach DADA.