wunderkind | (no subject)

wunderkind

STUFF GOES IN HERE

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From:

doggedly

Does it matter?

[He ashes his cigarette, flicking his ring finger against the end.]

You're thinking really hard about it, and all anyone's ever going to remember is that Voldemort was killed. You're going to remember it differently, yeah, but no one else will.

From:

jurisimpudent

Then maybe that's what it's about.

[He looks down again.]

If I'm going to keep living after this, I don't want to let myself fall into thinking that this is all right.

[A slight pause.]

Besides which, I despise ceremonies. And there would inevitably be a ceremony.

From:

doggedly

[He might have something to say to the rest of that, but Edgeworth's sarcastic little confession gets a snort out of him again. He leans back, rubbing his hand over his mouth.]

You could waive the ceremony. You're the one getting the award, what's to stop you from doing that?

From:

jurisimpudent

[Edgeworth looks over at him, annoyed at the fact that that statement was quite logical.]

I'll defer it to you. How about that instead?

From:

doggedly

You're forgetting, I'm used to ceremonies and parties and having to talk to a load of people who only want to be seen standing next to me.

[He shrugs, his mouth twisted a little.]

I know how to get out of them even when they're already happening. Show up, shake a few hands, and cut out the back. I'd have done that tonight as well, if you hadn't had other plans for the night.

[It's not the time to joke about that yet, maybe--too soon?--but he's already said it, so what does it matter.]

From:

jurisimpudent

[There's a miserable I'm sorry on his lips; he swallows it down with difficulty.]

All right, then. It's settled. If they try to make Miles Edgeworth, Oder of Merlin, it will go to Sirius Black instead.

From:

doggedly

What, I have to be Miles Edgeworth? I'm not interested in being Miles Edgeworth, thanks. Disgusting.

[He flicks ash off the end of his cigarette, with a little smirk.]

From:

jurisimpudent

[A brief, chiding, somewhat insulted look.]

No. It would just go to Sirius Black. My name wouldn't be involved at all.

From:

doggedly

Oh, come on. And ruin my family's streak? I'd nearly have earned it, instead of paying for it with gold and silver and favors.

[He shakes his head, sucking at his cigarette again.]

I think we're better off turning it down entirely, if you're really asking my opinion. That's if they offer it. They might prefer to forget us. We're inconvenient.

From:

jurisimpudent

[Reluctantly, he says:]

Or they might retaliate against us yet.

[A beat - ]

I'd like being ignored the best.

From:

doggedly

Shouldn't have done something so brave and necessary, then.

[Retaliate. For all his dismal predictions before the event, Sirius can hardly imagine retaliation now. It's over with, surely. Voldemort killed, the purebloods will rally--but they've lost their fangs.]

Then again, you could speak to the Minister. [In Sirius' world, speaking to the Minister is no big thing, and he says it like that.] He might be all too happy to sweep you straight out of the picture. Give his departments a bit more credibility.

From:

jurisimpudent

[Brave and necessary. Or, really - brave. Hearing that word of praise from Sirius' mouth - however casually delivered - is...strange. And...nice, really. It's not a challenge, not a question, just a quiet affirmation.

So Edgeworth hesitates a moment before asking:]

What would you do?

From:

doggedly

[He glances towards the door again, sucking at his cigarette--but it's not an answer that he has to think very hard about.]

I'd tell 'em to get fucked.

From:

jurisimpudent

[That's the answer he was hoping for, but not really the one he was expecting. So Sirius has his full attention when he asks:]

Why? You never shrank from notoriety in the past.

From:

doggedly

[He shrugs, sharply, without looking around at Edgeworth.]

Because this is different. And you know it's different, that's why you're asking me. This isn't a quidditch match--Merlin, it's not even getting good marks in school. If they want to give you an award for it, it's only so they can talk about wonderfully safe things are now. You'll be something to point to.

From:

jurisimpudent

[And Edgeworth's face is indeed deeply troubled at that prospect.]

But things aren't safe. They won't be for years yet, if then.

From:

doggedly

Yeah, just try telling that to them. D'you think they'll listen?

[He gestures towards the door again. They, them--not the same as the they of the Death Eaters and purebloods, but just as separate from the two of them. Though that rather puts them in a group together, doesn't it?]

They need this victory. They'll make it look as great for themselves as possible.

From:

jurisimpudent

[He's quiet a moment, struggling with that thought. Finally:]

Well. That's...fine, I should say. A stronger Ministry should prevent a repeat of such a thing as this happening. I'm certain they'd do it for the greater good.

[But he looks troubled and unconvinced by his own words.]

From:

doggedly

[Sirius snorts, in disbelief--but doesn't comment, not just yet. Instead, he sits in silence, watching that door a moment longer. They've been in here for a long time now, just the two of them. It's difficult to imagine the world outside the door, the panic and elation that must be taking people by turns.]

You don't think that.

[He looks over at Edgeworth, steadily.]

You don't believe that any more than I do. The greater good?

From:

jurisimpudent

[And as soon as Sirius meets his eyes, he looks down, embarrassed. Because - no. He doesn't. Not really.]

That is their stated mission, is it not?

From:

doggedly

They want to keep people calm. They want to keep people happy--job security and approval ratings and all that. They want everything nasty over with as quickly as possible, so we can all get back to our lives in security and peace.

So, yeah. The greater good. Not very good, but passable.

[He shrugs, again, takes another drag on his cigarette. That kills it, and he flicks the end onto the floor, carelessly.]

Don't tell them you don't want any credit. Don't tell them anything. They'll pay you off to keep themselves safe.

From:

jurisimpudent

[But he shakes his head, uncomprehending and stubborn - ]

But I don't want to be paid off.

From:

doggedly

Then give the gold away, if they try to give you gold. Sell it, if it's something else--but you've got to take it, or they won't feel like they've done their jobs properly. They'll think you're a loose end otherwise, something that's going to come back to them.

If you reject what they're giving you, you're making a statement.

From:

jurisimpudent

[Again, he shakes his head.]

That's absurd. That sounds like they're...malicious. Which, no matter what can be thought of them, they're not. They'll not think I'm a threat just because I turn down some idiotic award.

From:

doggedly

It's not turning down the award. It's being unsecured. Anything could make you tell the truth of what happened, and if they build up some story about the Aurors being the one to take Voldemort down, and then ten years down the line you come along and say no, it was you, when you were a kid, a student--

Merlin, don't you see! You have to know that the Ministry isn't all pleasant and nice. Even Dumbledore knows that much.