A/N: This isn't really a chapter. I just had a scene I was supposed to include for a while now and I was like, hey why not now?

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

"Do you know the real reason Lucius was demoted?" Bellatrix whispered to Regulus at Black Family tea on Sunday.

It was called the Black Family tea, but Narcissa had declined, saying she felt unwell. Rodolphus was busy with work. Bellatrix had come to Grimmauld Place alone.

"The Dementors were able to break the line in Diagon Alley. And Lucius is responsible for the dementors. Thus, it's his fault."

"Pff. That's what the Dark Lord wants people to think." Her eyes danced.

"Then why, Bella?"

"The day the dementor got free, Horace Slughorn escaped from house arrest."

Regulus was so shocked, he must have shown it on his face. Bellatrix laughed.

"They caught him, surely." Regulus blinked. The old potions professor was famous for being a social climber. But somehow, he had displeased the Dark Lord in his retirement and been placed under house arrest. The Dark Lord had taken a personal interest in the man's status, he knew.

"The Light rebels pulled out all their forces for this movement. They had over forty heavily armed duellers. They lost over ten people. But they managed to portkey Slughorn to the US."

"Can they trace it?"

"They would have five more waiting on the other side, each doing to a different place. We could trace it, if the America allowed our forces to move about freely in America. But you know how Magical America is. Pain in the arse."

"Hmm. Yes."

"This news is hush-hush. Rodolphus has been working day and night to patch this up."

"Thanks for telling me, Bella. Is Rodolphus alright?"

A figure dropped out of the floo right as Regulus spoke.

"I'm alive." The man coughed.

Bella waved and held out a hand for her husband. "Rodo," she grinned. The man stood easily and placed an arm around his wife.

"Hello, beautiful. And Regulus."

"Want to have a seat? You look like you're about to fall down."

The three of them took seats around the circular table with all kinds of tea and biscuits.

"Thanks," Rodolphus said. "You know how it is. The Dark Lord wants the evidence of the attack to use at the next International Confederation of Wizards meeting. Even if we can't force the Americans to capture the Light rebels and hand them over, at least they will stop helping them."

"But Magical America has done nothing so far, even stopped our attempts at tracking them down," Regulus pointed out.

"Yeah, but we are recognized as the official Ministry of Magical Britain. So, it should be illegal to be attack us." Rodolphus sighed.

"Isn't that common sense?" Regulus asked.

"But – last time we mentioned this – you know, the fact that they are blatantly attacking Magical Britian - they had the audacity to bring up the American Revolutionary War – assholes – and they always bring up the fact that we are a Dark regime… it all comes down to the fact that the Dark don't have enough clout. Other than Russia, every country is anti-Dark and makes everything ten times more difficult."

"Well, good luck with your evidence collecting."

"Yeah, thanks." Rodolphus muttered. "Bloody rebels."

"Is it not going well?"

"I have viewed the memories of those at the attack, and I'm one hundred percent sure it was Dumbledore himself that led it. No one else could have that kind of spell power and skill." He winced. "But I can't find one trace of his magical signature. It's like he wiped the place clean."

"I've never heard of magic that could do that…"

"Light magic. The illegal stuff." Rodolphus grimaced. "Memories can be fabricated so the ICW will not take that, either. Plus, they all wore masks."

"That sucks."

"I would give anything to find the evidence. Knock that old coot from his position on the ICW. Supreme Mugwump, my ass."

"Something doesn't make sense." Regulus said suddenly.

"Magical America just hates us from the times of the revolutionary war-"

"No, I mean, why would the Light use all their resources on someone like Horace Slughorn?"

Rodolphus frowned. He had never thought about this.

"I don't know. Some people speculate the Light want a potions master."

"There are potion masters in America."

"None that the Light rebels can afford."

"True."