Albus blustered into my office, a dark blue folder tucked underneath his arm. Black shadow underlined his eyes, and I'm sure my own face reflected his confusion and defeat. He slammed the folder on my desk, sending a pile of who knew what cascading onto the floor below. At this rate, my office would be carpeted in abandoned letters and proposals.

"What are you doing Rose?" he asked, tapping agitatedly onto the folder. "Why is the Gordian Knot, of all things, any sort of interest to you? Aren't there more important things, such as your child and your country?"

"You're my family, Albus. Thats—"

"Oh, first time I've heard you admit that. At school, wasn't it always 'Oh him, I have no idea who that embarressment to the Potter name is.'"

I gave him a piercing blue stare. "I wish you would just trust me. Look, I know that I am doing a horrible job as Minister, but this is more important."

"More important?" His disbelieving tone only reflected the breath of failure I had committed. "I don't think you understand— there's talk in the Ministry of evicting you from your station. And," his face blanched as he spat, "Dorcas Chang wants your spot."

Roughly opening one of my desk drawers, I shoved a black bag of Galleons at him. I folded my arms and watched his eyebrows raise when he looked inside.

"I need you and Hazel. Don't deny— the two of you have always been a team, and the bond you two have, have always had will never break."

"It will since she has her new toy," he muttered.

I rolled my eyes. "Please— I need the Gordian Knot. It is the only thing that will save Scorpius' soul. You have no idea what President Lockwood will do to my family, otherwise."

His mouth fell open. "Rose, you are the single most idiotic person I have ever met. You bargained with that witch? Forget your family, what will she do to the world with a power like that?"

"Would you believe me if I had a plan, have a way to bing her down?"

"No, will— will you look at the mess you've already made of your life, this Ministry? I refuse to believe that you somehow, magically, have a way to fix all of it."

I shrunk underneath his gaze. "Then I'll go down in history as the Minister who messed it all up. But you know what, Albus? I don't care about that anymore. All I ever wanted was to be powerful, and now that I finally have it..." I shook my head. "Do you know everything I have given for this, all of my sacrifices? And for what? To have everything be taken from me? All of the things I could've done were given up in this insane, stupid pursuit for an office and work I hate. Well, I'm not going to let the last two things in my life slip through my fingers once again."

Swallowing through the orange in my throat, I looked at Albus in a clear, unwavering stare. "If I have to sell my own soul or give up the world to save Scorpius from the darkness and agony of magic, I would, every single second of my life. And if my life shatters, just to have my child live, I would take up the hammer myself, and crush every piece." I laced my fingers together and lowered my gaze.

The feeling of Albus' slow, steady gaze was hot on me. "You say that you have a plan, a way to still stop her." It wasn't a question, but a plea of hope in darkness. A match, waiting to be lit and help someone out of darkness.

"Yes."

It was a lie, but I felt Albus' hope in me flare. He would do it— I would save Scorpius.

But at what price?