Primrose slipped off her Emerald green peacoat and hung it from the hook on her office door. It was another dreary and cold October morning in Whitehall, the kind that left you wanting to curl back up under your covers, however the windows throughout the Ministry of Magic suggested otherwise. The sunlight that cascaded through the room lifted her spirits a bit as it was intended to do, but the feeling was short lived as she sat at her desk and read the latest memo from the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.
“VICIOUS LONGHORN ATTACKS ON THE COAST OF ROMANIA - SECOND THIS WEEK”
“Shit..” Primrose breathed as she leaned back in her chair. Her hand instinctively ran through her hair, pushing it away from her face. Sure..Longhorns were dangerous, all dragons were dangerous, but this behavior wasn’t lining up with what she knew to be true about them. For centuries, Romania has had wonderful control over their dragon population with some of the best trainers and Dragonologists in the world residing there. There had been a total of eight attacks in the past six months, half of them happening in just the past two, and not just in Romania. They seemed to be showing up all over.
A knock on her door startled her from her thoughts. “Meeting in five, about the memo I reckon. Did you get a look at it yet?” Asked Thomas Pearson as he leaned against the frame with his hands in is pockets. Thomas was the other Dragonologist in the Beast Division. He was handsome, with a nice smile and blue eyes. He had a very classic look about him and was nice enough. Someone most women seemed to fall over themselves for…not Primrose. It had been years since she had been even remotely interested in anyone. Not that she hadn’t had her options open of course, her life was just simply too busy for frivolous romances.
She stood from her chair and smoothed her pencil skirt over her knees before grabbing a quill and parchment paper and exiting with Thomas into the hallway. There was a buzz of excitement that could be felt as they walked toward the meeting hall. It was a fairly new room with black cushy seats surrounding a large executive table, one of the many renovations made to resemble modern Muggle workplaces. She took her place at the table and tapped her foot nervously as she waited for the head of the division to enter the room and start the meeting.
“VICIOUS LONGHORN ATTACKS ON THE COAST OF ROMANIA - SECOND THIS WEEK”
“Shit..” Primrose breathed as she leaned back in her chair. Her hand instinctively ran through her hair, pushing it away from her face. Sure..Longhorns were dangerous, all dragons were dangerous, but this behavior wasn’t lining up with what she knew to be true about them. For centuries, Romania has had wonderful control over their dragon population with some of the best trainers and Dragonologists in the world residing there. There had been a total of eight attacks in the past six months, half of them happening in just the past two, and not just in Romania. They seemed to be showing up all over.
A knock on her door startled her from her thoughts. “Meeting in five, about the memo I reckon. Did you get a look at it yet?” Asked Thomas Pearson as he leaned against the frame with his hands in is pockets. Thomas was the other Dragonologist in the Beast Division. He was handsome, with a nice smile and blue eyes. He had a very classic look about him and was nice enough. Someone most women seemed to fall over themselves for…not Primrose. It had been years since she had been even remotely interested in anyone. Not that she hadn’t had her options open of course, her life was just simply too busy for frivolous romances.
She stood from her chair and smoothed her pencil skirt over her knees before grabbing a quill and parchment paper and exiting with Thomas into the hallway. There was a buzz of excitement that could be felt as they walked toward the meeting hall. It was a fairly new room with black cushy seats surrounding a large executive table, one of the many renovations made to resemble modern Muggle workplaces. She took her place at the table and tapped her foot nervously as she waited for the head of the division to enter the room and start the meeting.
A single paper airplane bobbed and weaved its way through the candlelit dining room. Banking hard to the left, it swiftly avoided the involuntary swat of a server who held a large, circular tin tray in the other hand. It eventually found its target, slamming its tip into their left temple and finally coming to a rest on the table next to a plate with two unfinished pizza crusts left on it.
“Ow,” Axel deadpanned, but not before looking up from his Complete Idiot’s Guide to Astrophysics. He spotted the new addition to his place setting and unfolded it.
You’ve been at lunch for an hour. Come to my office as soon as you’re able.
-Kai
As soon as he read the note, it self-immolated. “Shit,” Axel said aloud. Quickly reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the 3 galleons he always paid, along with some spare sickles, and left them on the table before Disapparating out of Mystic Pizza with a crack.
He reappeared in the courtyard of an abandoned schoolhouse, surrounded on all sides by tall shrubbery. He turned up his collar and shoved his free hand into his pocket. It was a brisk fall day, but it might as well have been the dead of winter with the wind chill. That was one thing Axel never got used to about New England; he was never fond of living where the wind hurt his face. He walked up to the door and was greeted by the stare of a sudden, unblinking eye that materialized in the sturdy wood. Axel pulled his hand out of his pocket, producing an ID card that identified him as a Class-B Auror. The eye then transformed into a speaker, and a flaming number 15 appeared above it, counting down by one each second.
“Marquis. Aqua. Garrison. Petrichor,” Axel stated, punctuating each word with a forced pause. The countdown ceased briefly giving Axel enough time to wonder whether or not he remembered the password correctly. When the numbers and speaker dutifully vanished, the door unlocked and swung open. He scurried inside and hastily made his way upstairs.
“Hey, Ace,” called Hannah, one of his fellow agents. She was a curly brunette with stunning blue eyes that would have usually stopped Axel in his tracks, but one thing you did not want to do was delay in a summons from Kai.
“Afternoon, Hannah. I’ll talk to you later,” he called after her, waving while in a brisk walk. It was only a few more seconds before he arrived at a door with a translucent glass pane labeled “DISTRICT DEPUTY AUROR”, with the name “Kai Campbell” underneath in gold lettering. Axel raised his fist to gently rap on the door but heard a voice say “Come on in” before he could.
“I got your memo, sir,” Axel stated to a man who was fervently wielding a quill. Kai gingerly placed it back in its holder.
Kai Campbell, District Deputy Auror in New London County, was a stern man in his late 30’s. He had a tall but chiseled physique with cheekbones that could cut glass, and almond-shaped eyes that could do the same to your soul if he chose to give you his thousand-yard stare. Luckily for Axel, he wasn’t in a sour mood that day. He steepled his fingers together and leaned back in his chair.
“So you did.” His gaze fell on the book that Axel was still holding. “Heh. I can see why you’re late. You’re always reading that. You know there’s a bookstore right down the street with better stuff, right?”
“Yes sir,” Axel replied, laughing nervously.
“Let me cut right to the chase so we’re not wasting each other’s time,” Kai said, raising an eyebrow. The undertone of that statement was more than enough to capture Axel’s undivided attention. “You’ve been our top Class-B here for a couple years. Because of that, I have an assignment for you that I think will help you fulfill your requirements to get your C-class authorizations.”
“Whatever it is, you can count on me, sir.”
“Good to hear. I have one question for you. What do you know… about dragons?”
“Ow,” Axel deadpanned, but not before looking up from his Complete Idiot’s Guide to Astrophysics. He spotted the new addition to his place setting and unfolded it.
You’ve been at lunch for an hour. Come to my office as soon as you’re able.
-Kai
As soon as he read the note, it self-immolated. “Shit,” Axel said aloud. Quickly reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the 3 galleons he always paid, along with some spare sickles, and left them on the table before Disapparating out of Mystic Pizza with a crack.
He reappeared in the courtyard of an abandoned schoolhouse, surrounded on all sides by tall shrubbery. He turned up his collar and shoved his free hand into his pocket. It was a brisk fall day, but it might as well have been the dead of winter with the wind chill. That was one thing Axel never got used to about New England; he was never fond of living where the wind hurt his face. He walked up to the door and was greeted by the stare of a sudden, unblinking eye that materialized in the sturdy wood. Axel pulled his hand out of his pocket, producing an ID card that identified him as a Class-B Auror. The eye then transformed into a speaker, and a flaming number 15 appeared above it, counting down by one each second.
“Marquis. Aqua. Garrison. Petrichor,” Axel stated, punctuating each word with a forced pause. The countdown ceased briefly giving Axel enough time to wonder whether or not he remembered the password correctly. When the numbers and speaker dutifully vanished, the door unlocked and swung open. He scurried inside and hastily made his way upstairs.
“Hey, Ace,” called Hannah, one of his fellow agents. She was a curly brunette with stunning blue eyes that would have usually stopped Axel in his tracks, but one thing you did not want to do was delay in a summons from Kai.
“Afternoon, Hannah. I’ll talk to you later,” he called after her, waving while in a brisk walk. It was only a few more seconds before he arrived at a door with a translucent glass pane labeled “DISTRICT DEPUTY AUROR”, with the name “Kai Campbell” underneath in gold lettering. Axel raised his fist to gently rap on the door but heard a voice say “Come on in” before he could.
“I got your memo, sir,” Axel stated to a man who was fervently wielding a quill. Kai gingerly placed it back in its holder.
Kai Campbell, District Deputy Auror in New London County, was a stern man in his late 30’s. He had a tall but chiseled physique with cheekbones that could cut glass, and almond-shaped eyes that could do the same to your soul if he chose to give you his thousand-yard stare. Luckily for Axel, he wasn’t in a sour mood that day. He steepled his fingers together and leaned back in his chair.
“So you did.” His gaze fell on the book that Axel was still holding. “Heh. I can see why you’re late. You’re always reading that. You know there’s a bookstore right down the street with better stuff, right?”
“Yes sir,” Axel replied, laughing nervously.
“Let me cut right to the chase so we’re not wasting each other’s time,” Kai said, raising an eyebrow. The undertone of that statement was more than enough to capture Axel’s undivided attention. “You’ve been our top Class-B here for a couple years. Because of that, I have an assignment for you that I think will help you fulfill your requirements to get your C-class authorizations.”
“Whatever it is, you can count on me, sir.”
“Good to hear. I have one question for you. What do you know… about dragons?”
Primrose listened quietly to the hushed whisper that flitted around the room. She wrapped a piece a thread from her skirt around her finger in an attempt to occupy herself.
"I heard it has to do with the Dark Arts..."He Who Must Not Be Named" kind of stuff." commented a small wizard with glasses.
"Nonsense.." a curly haired witch remarked with a roll of her eyes "the standard for Dragon care clearly needs to be reevaluated. They need more protein!"
The noise quickly quieted as Cassius Bellanger stepped through the large oak door, and Primrose sat up in her chair eager for the meeting to start. He was a rather large wizard with a curled mustache and pudgy cheeks. His usual jolly demeanor had been replaced by one more serious and it filled the room with an aura of tension.
"As you are all well aware, there has been a steady increase in Dragon related fatalities over the past several months. This has been monitored closely, and..without meaning to cause alarm..I will tell you that the Ministry has reason to believe that this COULD be related to dark activity."
A wave of gasps and mutters erupted around the table. "Quiet, quiet please!" commanded Cassius. "Now this is not something that the Ministry hasn't handled before, and they are simply taking precautionary measures. Since this is affecting not only Europe, the MACUSA has agreed that it is in their best interest to send an Auror to work with us." He glanced around the room at the excited faces around him. "I'm sure there are a lot of questions, but unfortunately as of right now that is all the information that I have. I will be sure to keep you updated with any news."
With that, he stood from the table and gave a small nod ending the meeting. Primrose stood from her chair and joined with the others as they began filing out the door to return to their work spaces.
"Primrose..may I stop you for a moment?" Cassius asked as she reached door and the remainder of her coworkers left the room. "You are our top Dragonologist in the department and we have decided it would be best to have you work directly with our guest from MACUSA. I will have more details for you both once he arrives." He said with a small smile.
It wasn't a question, Primrose would be working on this case. She could hardly contain her excitement at the thought. She had assumed that Thomas surely would have been assigned, not herself. "Of course Cassius," she nodded with a smile. It was what she had been hoping for when she accepted her position, a chance to leave her mark.
"I heard it has to do with the Dark Arts..."He Who Must Not Be Named" kind of stuff." commented a small wizard with glasses.
"Nonsense.." a curly haired witch remarked with a roll of her eyes "the standard for Dragon care clearly needs to be reevaluated. They need more protein!"
The noise quickly quieted as Cassius Bellanger stepped through the large oak door, and Primrose sat up in her chair eager for the meeting to start. He was a rather large wizard with a curled mustache and pudgy cheeks. His usual jolly demeanor had been replaced by one more serious and it filled the room with an aura of tension.
"As you are all well aware, there has been a steady increase in Dragon related fatalities over the past several months. This has been monitored closely, and..without meaning to cause alarm..I will tell you that the Ministry has reason to believe that this COULD be related to dark activity."
A wave of gasps and mutters erupted around the table. "Quiet, quiet please!" commanded Cassius. "Now this is not something that the Ministry hasn't handled before, and they are simply taking precautionary measures. Since this is affecting not only Europe, the MACUSA has agreed that it is in their best interest to send an Auror to work with us." He glanced around the room at the excited faces around him. "I'm sure there are a lot of questions, but unfortunately as of right now that is all the information that I have. I will be sure to keep you updated with any news."
With that, he stood from the table and gave a small nod ending the meeting. Primrose stood from her chair and joined with the others as they began filing out the door to return to their work spaces.
"Primrose..may I stop you for a moment?" Cassius asked as she reached door and the remainder of her coworkers left the room. "You are our top Dragonologist in the department and we have decided it would be best to have you work directly with our guest from MACUSA. I will have more details for you both once he arrives." He said with a small smile.
It wasn't a question, Primrose would be working on this case. She could hardly contain her excitement at the thought. She had assumed that Thomas surely would have been assigned, not herself. "Of course Cassius," she nodded with a smile. It was what she had been hoping for when she accepted her position, a chance to leave her mark.
Axel folded his arms. “More than I’d care to admit, sir. They’re dangerous creatures if not handled properly.” Not to mention, far above my pay grade.
“Well, good. That’s really all you need to know. So,” Kai began. His hand reached for the redwood wand that rested near his quill and picked it up. He pointed it at the door, the Venetian blind, and without looking, behind him at the solitary window in the room. Axel felt magic surge with each point.
“…here’s your briefing. As you may have noticed, our office has been rather busy as of late. I’ve had to send you out all over the region for mass Obliviation of No-Maj neighborhoods in rural areas.”
Strangely, something that seems to be far under my pay grade, Axel thought. It was true; although it was rare that he had to make actual arrests, memory wiping of the non-magical populace was the standard rookie cop fare since it posed so little threat. It was also incredibly tedious.
“During one of these routine excursions of yours we’ve had other agents either sedating or…” — Kai lowered his head and let out a heavy sigh—“…exterminating rogue dragons.”
Axel took it upon himself to sit in one of the chairs in front of Kai’s desk. The shock on his face was enough. Kai produced a manila folder from one of the desk drawers. He pulled a sheet out of it that Axel, for some reason, could not read; he noticed that the ink was nearly invisible from where he was sitting. He wasn’t sure if it was the light in the room or his vantage point, but he didn’t give it a second thought.
“We’ve received intelligence that this behavior is rather irrational, as dragons have stayed far away from No-Maj neighborhoods in America. Despite their prevalence in Europe, this is also uncommon, but there are attacks over in the UK as well that are much more frequent. The Federal office thinks the origin of the issue is over there. We also suspect that the explanation may be drug-related.”
“…drugs, sir? We have intelligence suggesting that someone is giving drugs… to dragons?!” Axel couldn’t help but exclaim with further incredulity. “I gotta admit, I find it hard to believe.”
Seeming to ignore his subordinate, Kai continued. “Now, I’ve talked with the higher-ups. They have requested that I send one of my best agents to investigate what’s going on and put a stop to it. You shouldn’t have to subdue any dragons, though. So for this assignment, you are to be granted Detective-level authorization for anything regarding your investigation.”
“Yes, sir,” Axel responded, albeit with a bit of pride in his voice. Detective rank authorization was something he had been seeking for months. It felt good to know that his supervisor was giving him a chance to prove his worthiness of it.
“We’re also sending you to Whitehall, in central London.” With this, Kai handed Axel the manila envelope. “Inside there are all the documents you need. We’ve updated your passport, since I know you’ve had no need to do it for years, let’s face it… and travel arrangements have already been made.”
“Oh. Thanks. When do I leave, sir?”
“This afternoon. In one hour. Be at the Mystic Seaport docks by 14:30 sharp, or you’ll miss your boat. You’ll be taking the Harpooner’s Respite. Tall ship. You can’t miss it.”
“Noted, sir,” Axel responded. And it was. “Anything else?”
“When you get to Cardiff, you’ll be meeting with your liaison from the Ministry of Magic. You’ll be in very capable hands for your investigation, as she’s a premier dragonologist.”
Axel pulled out the last sheet of paper, which was an official dossier with Ministry letterhead. His eyes immediately went to the familiar face in a picture which looked around the room with a professional smile. The name next to it, in a large serif type, made Axel’s heart jump in his chest. It was her. The one he chose, all those years ago, to let go of in pursuit of his dreams.
Primrose Crane.
“Well, good. That’s really all you need to know. So,” Kai began. His hand reached for the redwood wand that rested near his quill and picked it up. He pointed it at the door, the Venetian blind, and without looking, behind him at the solitary window in the room. Axel felt magic surge with each point.
“…here’s your briefing. As you may have noticed, our office has been rather busy as of late. I’ve had to send you out all over the region for mass Obliviation of No-Maj neighborhoods in rural areas.”
Strangely, something that seems to be far under my pay grade, Axel thought. It was true; although it was rare that he had to make actual arrests, memory wiping of the non-magical populace was the standard rookie cop fare since it posed so little threat. It was also incredibly tedious.
“During one of these routine excursions of yours we’ve had other agents either sedating or…” — Kai lowered his head and let out a heavy sigh—“…exterminating rogue dragons.”
Axel took it upon himself to sit in one of the chairs in front of Kai’s desk. The shock on his face was enough. Kai produced a manila folder from one of the desk drawers. He pulled a sheet out of it that Axel, for some reason, could not read; he noticed that the ink was nearly invisible from where he was sitting. He wasn’t sure if it was the light in the room or his vantage point, but he didn’t give it a second thought.
“We’ve received intelligence that this behavior is rather irrational, as dragons have stayed far away from No-Maj neighborhoods in America. Despite their prevalence in Europe, this is also uncommon, but there are attacks over in the UK as well that are much more frequent. The Federal office thinks the origin of the issue is over there. We also suspect that the explanation may be drug-related.”
“…drugs, sir? We have intelligence suggesting that someone is giving drugs… to dragons?!” Axel couldn’t help but exclaim with further incredulity. “I gotta admit, I find it hard to believe.”
Seeming to ignore his subordinate, Kai continued. “Now, I’ve talked with the higher-ups. They have requested that I send one of my best agents to investigate what’s going on and put a stop to it. You shouldn’t have to subdue any dragons, though. So for this assignment, you are to be granted Detective-level authorization for anything regarding your investigation.”
“Yes, sir,” Axel responded, albeit with a bit of pride in his voice. Detective rank authorization was something he had been seeking for months. It felt good to know that his supervisor was giving him a chance to prove his worthiness of it.
“We’re also sending you to Whitehall, in central London.” With this, Kai handed Axel the manila envelope. “Inside there are all the documents you need. We’ve updated your passport, since I know you’ve had no need to do it for years, let’s face it… and travel arrangements have already been made.”
“Oh. Thanks. When do I leave, sir?”
“This afternoon. In one hour. Be at the Mystic Seaport docks by 14:30 sharp, or you’ll miss your boat. You’ll be taking the Harpooner’s Respite. Tall ship. You can’t miss it.”
“Noted, sir,” Axel responded. And it was. “Anything else?”
“When you get to Cardiff, you’ll be meeting with your liaison from the Ministry of Magic. You’ll be in very capable hands for your investigation, as she’s a premier dragonologist.”
Axel pulled out the last sheet of paper, which was an official dossier with Ministry letterhead. His eyes immediately went to the familiar face in a picture which looked around the room with a professional smile. The name next to it, in a large serif type, made Axel’s heart jump in his chest. It was her. The one he chose, all those years ago, to let go of in pursuit of his dreams.
Primrose Crane.
(Let's see what this does.)
(Turns out, opening Chat adds a post to the forum. Can you delete this?)
(Turns out, opening Chat adds a post to the forum. Can you delete this?)
(Ha! Nope 
)
Primrose returned to her office in an excited daze and hardly noticed when Thomas entered into the room behind her.
"So the Dark Arts...crazy stuff huh?" he asked while perching himself on the corner of her desk and bringing her back to reality. His movement nudged a small wooden box that sat on her desk, upon which an image of a dragon was burned. Attempting to hide her annoyance, she moved the box further away from him. "Yeah..pretty crazy," she said while shuffling papers around on her desk. She couldn't help but sound uninterested in the conversation.
"A few of us are talking about heading to a pub after work to blow off some steam..would you be interested?" He asked, flashing a smile that would make any other woman swoon.
"Oh, you know Thomas, I..think I'm going to stay late tonight. I have a lot of extra work with all of this stuff going on." she fibbed.
"Sure..of course," he shrugged, unable to disguise the disappointment in his voice. "Well, if you change your mind you know where to find me" he added. He hesitated before putting his hands in his pockets and turning to leave the room. Primrose waited until he was no longer visible and rolled her eyes while sitting down. He was a persistent little bugger, she would give him that.
Before she could begin her work, another neatly folded purple paper plane glided towards her and landed square on her desk. She carefully unfolded the parchment and read the memo quietly to herself.
“Primrose,
You will accompany the designated Auror from MACUSA during his investigation. Due to the confidentiality of the matter, we are not able to provide information on him personally. He has been notified of you, and you are to report to the following location immediately.
WISERD Center - Cardiff University
He will meet you there. As you know, this is a matter of upmost importance. Please report back promptly with your findings.
Sincerely,
Christopher Darlington-Whit
Minister of Magic”
As she finished reading, the purple paper promptly burst into flames. It lay in a pile of ashes on her desk before slowly disappearing, leaving no trace of it’s existence. Primrose stood and grabbed a medium sized purse that sat next to her desk and. Wand clasped in hand, she closed her eyes and focused on her destination. The beautiful architecture of Cardiff University filled her mind. She imagined a cool breeze and the crisp fall air around her and felt a sharp tug at her midsection. A loud crack resounded from her office and before she could open her eyes she could smell the fresh scent of autumn. She opened her eyes and took in the small courtyard around her before straightening her skirt and tucking her long hair behind one ear. A wooden bench that sat underneath a large colorful oak invited her to sit and the dry leaves crunched under her feet as she walked. Waiting with nervous anticipation, she gazed out at the still empty courtyard.
)Primrose returned to her office in an excited daze and hardly noticed when Thomas entered into the room behind her.
"So the Dark Arts...crazy stuff huh?" he asked while perching himself on the corner of her desk and bringing her back to reality. His movement nudged a small wooden box that sat on her desk, upon which an image of a dragon was burned. Attempting to hide her annoyance, she moved the box further away from him. "Yeah..pretty crazy," she said while shuffling papers around on her desk. She couldn't help but sound uninterested in the conversation.
"A few of us are talking about heading to a pub after work to blow off some steam..would you be interested?" He asked, flashing a smile that would make any other woman swoon.
"Oh, you know Thomas, I..think I'm going to stay late tonight. I have a lot of extra work with all of this stuff going on." she fibbed.
"Sure..of course," he shrugged, unable to disguise the disappointment in his voice. "Well, if you change your mind you know where to find me" he added. He hesitated before putting his hands in his pockets and turning to leave the room. Primrose waited until he was no longer visible and rolled her eyes while sitting down. He was a persistent little bugger, she would give him that.
Before she could begin her work, another neatly folded purple paper plane glided towards her and landed square on her desk. She carefully unfolded the parchment and read the memo quietly to herself.
“Primrose,
You will accompany the designated Auror from MACUSA during his investigation. Due to the confidentiality of the matter, we are not able to provide information on him personally. He has been notified of you, and you are to report to the following location immediately.
WISERD Center - Cardiff University
He will meet you there. As you know, this is a matter of upmost importance. Please report back promptly with your findings.
Sincerely,
Christopher Darlington-Whit
Minister of Magic”
As she finished reading, the purple paper promptly burst into flames. It lay in a pile of ashes on her desk before slowly disappearing, leaving no trace of it’s existence. Primrose stood and grabbed a medium sized purse that sat next to her desk and. Wand clasped in hand, she closed her eyes and focused on her destination. The beautiful architecture of Cardiff University filled her mind. She imagined a cool breeze and the crisp fall air around her and felt a sharp tug at her midsection. A loud crack resounded from her office and before she could open her eyes she could smell the fresh scent of autumn. She opened her eyes and took in the small courtyard around her before straightening her skirt and tucking her long hair behind one ear. A wooden bench that sat underneath a large colorful oak invited her to sit and the dry leaves crunched under her feet as she walked. Waiting with nervous anticipation, she gazed out at the still empty courtyard.
“Oh, Axel! I’ve missed you so much! Finally, you’re back! Come back to my house, and make love to me! We have so much to catch up on! I can’t wait any longer. I have to see America with you.”
“Axel?”
Kai’s voice snapped him out of his reverie. As it turned out, he had been staring at the dossier in his hands for about ten seconds too long.
“You all right? You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Kai said.
“Yes, sir, I’m sorry. I just… feel like I’ve met her before, that’s all,” Axel fibbed. He hastily slipped the dossier back into the envelope and refastened it, getting up from his chair. “I should go prepare to leave. Have to take care of a few things if I’m heading back to the UK. Is there anything else?”
“No. Remember, 14:30 sharp. And if this goes well, Officer Sagan, I think I’ll be referring you for Class C and Inspector rank.” Kai stared out the window, but glanced over his shoulder, gauging his subordinate’s reaction. He was pleased when Axel’s eyes went wide.
“I won’t disappoint you, sir.”
“Good. I expect a report by the usual correspondence in 3 days. Dismissed.”
Closing the door to Kai’s office, he turned and was met face-to-face with Hannah. “So? How did it go? What did Campbell want?” She flashed a grin at Axel, and he almost felt his knees collapse. Hannah Morielli was definitely one of the most beautiful women in the office. Today, she was wearing her usual black peacoat, with a white ruffled shirt and black leggings that ended in tall, laced boots.
“I’ve got my next assignment,” Axel responded, which Hannah noticed took a couple of seconds of thought to compose. She beckoned him to follow her back to her desk.
“Oh? Care to divulge?”
“There’s some stuff going on overseas that Campbell wants me to investigate.”
“Overseas? I’m so jealous! Why is he sending you abroad when there’s stuff to do here at home?!”
Axel proceeded to explain, in broader detail, what was happening with the dragon attacks.
“Yeah, so… he wants me to find the cause of it and put a stop to it.”
“Well, you’re the most talented Auror in the office, and most likely the region,” Hannah said, staring at her feet and entwining one of her flowing brown curls around a finger.
“Oh, stop. You’re pretty amazing, yourself.”
Hannah looked up and giggled. She was blushing. “Thanks, Ace. Seriously, come back to us in one piece. I’ll be really, really mad at you if you don’t.”
Axel laughed. “I promise.”
“Oh… and you better write me.” She flashed her grin again. For a moment, he almost forgot about Primrose.
“Of course.”
“Good. Have a great trip!”
Nearly an hour later, Axel found himself at Mystic Seaport, where sure enough, a schooner emblazoned with a plaque that read “Harpooner’s Respite” was docked. An oddly conspicuously-dressed sailor waited at the bottom of the plank. Axel handed him his ticket and flashed his Auror ID. To his surprise, the sailor stood upright and saluted him military style. “Welcome aboard, Officer!”
Axel smiled, but scoffed as he made his way across the plank. “At ease, man.”
A solitary sailor met him on the deck and directed him to a cabin door. Axel walked through it and was stunned to see a large, yacht-like interior. A small crowd of witches and wizards were seated comfortably on couches, and servers walked by carrying trays containing all manner of beverages.
This is going to be a nice trip, he thought.
A few hours later, the Harpooner’s Respite made port in Cardiff. According to his directive, Axel needed to make his way to the WISERD Center at the university. He wasn’t too surprised to find a map of Cardiff in his portfolio; Kai usually thought of everything. Catching a taxi, he was there within minutes. The car pulled up to Cardiff University, and Axel looked in awe as he stepped out in front of the cathedral-like building. Despite the season, leaves did not overfill the verdant courtyard. As he walked toward the main building, past several groups of students, he spotted a bench in the shadow of one of the large oak trees. Seated in it, facing away from him, was a familiar young woman with flowing red hair in a green peacoat. Axel spent his entire voyage wondering what he would say after seeing her for the first time after so many years. He took a deep breath and approached her cautiously. He opened his mouth to speak and steeled himself to make sure that his words didn’t emerge shakily.
“…Hi, Prim.”
“Axel?”
Kai’s voice snapped him out of his reverie. As it turned out, he had been staring at the dossier in his hands for about ten seconds too long.
“You all right? You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Kai said.
“Yes, sir, I’m sorry. I just… feel like I’ve met her before, that’s all,” Axel fibbed. He hastily slipped the dossier back into the envelope and refastened it, getting up from his chair. “I should go prepare to leave. Have to take care of a few things if I’m heading back to the UK. Is there anything else?”
“No. Remember, 14:30 sharp. And if this goes well, Officer Sagan, I think I’ll be referring you for Class C and Inspector rank.” Kai stared out the window, but glanced over his shoulder, gauging his subordinate’s reaction. He was pleased when Axel’s eyes went wide.
“I won’t disappoint you, sir.”
“Good. I expect a report by the usual correspondence in 3 days. Dismissed.”
Closing the door to Kai’s office, he turned and was met face-to-face with Hannah. “So? How did it go? What did Campbell want?” She flashed a grin at Axel, and he almost felt his knees collapse. Hannah Morielli was definitely one of the most beautiful women in the office. Today, she was wearing her usual black peacoat, with a white ruffled shirt and black leggings that ended in tall, laced boots.
“I’ve got my next assignment,” Axel responded, which Hannah noticed took a couple of seconds of thought to compose. She beckoned him to follow her back to her desk.
“Oh? Care to divulge?”
“There’s some stuff going on overseas that Campbell wants me to investigate.”
“Overseas? I’m so jealous! Why is he sending you abroad when there’s stuff to do here at home?!”
Axel proceeded to explain, in broader detail, what was happening with the dragon attacks.
“Yeah, so… he wants me to find the cause of it and put a stop to it.”
“Well, you’re the most talented Auror in the office, and most likely the region,” Hannah said, staring at her feet and entwining one of her flowing brown curls around a finger.
“Oh, stop. You’re pretty amazing, yourself.”
Hannah looked up and giggled. She was blushing. “Thanks, Ace. Seriously, come back to us in one piece. I’ll be really, really mad at you if you don’t.”
Axel laughed. “I promise.”
“Oh… and you better write me.” She flashed her grin again. For a moment, he almost forgot about Primrose.
“Of course.”
“Good. Have a great trip!”
Nearly an hour later, Axel found himself at Mystic Seaport, where sure enough, a schooner emblazoned with a plaque that read “Harpooner’s Respite” was docked. An oddly conspicuously-dressed sailor waited at the bottom of the plank. Axel handed him his ticket and flashed his Auror ID. To his surprise, the sailor stood upright and saluted him military style. “Welcome aboard, Officer!”
Axel smiled, but scoffed as he made his way across the plank. “At ease, man.”
A solitary sailor met him on the deck and directed him to a cabin door. Axel walked through it and was stunned to see a large, yacht-like interior. A small crowd of witches and wizards were seated comfortably on couches, and servers walked by carrying trays containing all manner of beverages.
This is going to be a nice trip, he thought.
A few hours later, the Harpooner’s Respite made port in Cardiff. According to his directive, Axel needed to make his way to the WISERD Center at the university. He wasn’t too surprised to find a map of Cardiff in his portfolio; Kai usually thought of everything. Catching a taxi, he was there within minutes. The car pulled up to Cardiff University, and Axel looked in awe as he stepped out in front of the cathedral-like building. Despite the season, leaves did not overfill the verdant courtyard. As he walked toward the main building, past several groups of students, he spotted a bench in the shadow of one of the large oak trees. Seated in it, facing away from him, was a familiar young woman with flowing red hair in a green peacoat. Axel spent his entire voyage wondering what he would say after seeing her for the first time after so many years. He took a deep breath and approached her cautiously. He opened his mouth to speak and steeled himself to make sure that his words didn’t emerge shakily.
“…Hi, Prim.”
Primrose’s leg bounced impatiently as she waited in the courtyard. She hadn’t been waiting long, and it was still early, but her excitement caused each minute to stretch into an eternity. In her mind, she pictured this new adventure. Her partner, a skilled auror, accompanying her and catching the bad guys while they saved the lives of the misunderstood dragons. Her face, lit up in a smile on the back of her autobiography which would tell all about their daring task.
Her mind was brought back to the courtyard as she heard a familiar voice from behind her.
“Hi Prim..”
She could feel the blood drain from her face and an icy fist clenched her stomach. No…of all the aurors in the world...why did it have to be this one? She hadn’t even considered it a possibility..it hadn’t been but five years since school. The idea that he would be skilled enough to take on this mission this soon hadn’t even crossed her mind, but then again…here she was as well.
She closed her eyes and took a breath before standing from the bench and turning around. Axel Sagan. The boy who had simultaneously taught her how to love, and reminded her why she shouldn’t stood before her. His hair was shorter, done to look professional enough but still untamable. His arms filled out his sleeves in a way that they hadn’t in school, making his body appear harder and stronger than she remembered. If she said time hadn’t done him well, she’d be lying, but she quickly pushed that thought out of her mind. This was STRICTLY business.
She crossed her arms stubbornly, and could feel her heart pounding against the walls of her chest.
“You’re kidding right? Were all the other aurors busy at MACUSA?” She asked, her lips setting in a tight line.
Figures...her chance at a dream and here comes destiny..dragging the past back around. "No..not destiny," she thought "just plain rotten luck.."
Her mind was brought back to the courtyard as she heard a familiar voice from behind her.
“Hi Prim..”
She could feel the blood drain from her face and an icy fist clenched her stomach. No…of all the aurors in the world...why did it have to be this one? She hadn’t even considered it a possibility..it hadn’t been but five years since school. The idea that he would be skilled enough to take on this mission this soon hadn’t even crossed her mind, but then again…here she was as well.
She closed her eyes and took a breath before standing from the bench and turning around. Axel Sagan. The boy who had simultaneously taught her how to love, and reminded her why she shouldn’t stood before her. His hair was shorter, done to look professional enough but still untamable. His arms filled out his sleeves in a way that they hadn’t in school, making his body appear harder and stronger than she remembered. If she said time hadn’t done him well, she’d be lying, but she quickly pushed that thought out of her mind. This was STRICTLY business.
She crossed her arms stubbornly, and could feel her heart pounding against the walls of her chest.
“You’re kidding right? Were all the other aurors busy at MACUSA?” She asked, her lips setting in a tight line.
Figures...her chance at a dream and here comes destiny..dragging the past back around. "No..not destiny," she thought "just plain rotten luck.."
Axel was slightly taken aback. This was not the response he had planned on. He was happy to see her, but it was apparent that the sentiment was disappointingly far from mutual.
"...pleased to see you again, too," he fired back, with an eyebrow raised and a grin.
"...pleased to see you again, too," he fired back, with an eyebrow raised and a grin.
Primrose huffed and rolled her eyes. "I'm so glad this amuses you," she remarked sarcastically. She walked toward him and stopped at his side. "Look, just so we're clear..this is strictly business. If it were up to me, I'd be doing this on my own." She said coldly as she linked her arm around his. Feeling him beside her caused a pang of nostalgia, but she quickly brushed it away "I'm taking you back to the ministry to fill us in on what you know."
She closed her eyes and pictured the ornate atrium of the Ministry and immediately felt the familiar tug at her midsection. There was an audible crack, and then the bustle of witches and wizards inside of the Ministry of Magic could be heard. As quickly as they had arrived, she stepped away from Axel and began walking towards the golden gates that housed the lift.
She closed her eyes and pictured the ornate atrium of the Ministry and immediately felt the familiar tug at her midsection. There was an audible crack, and then the bustle of witches and wizards inside of the Ministry of Magic could be heard. As quickly as they had arrived, she stepped away from Axel and began walking towards the golden gates that housed the lift.
Axel took a moment to survey his new surroundings as always. He had never been inside the Ministry of Magic before, and it easily rivaled MACUSA. An enormous banner was suspended from the ceiling that bore the picture of a comely woman with long brown hair. It was the current Minister, the famous Hermione Granger. The walls that towered above him were covered in windows that all led to distinctive offices. Axel wondered if Primrose had any one of these with such a nice view of the atrium below. After a few seconds, he finally closed his agape mouth and briskly walked after her.
"Now hold on a second," Axel commanded. It was the first time in many years that he had used this tone of voice towards anyone other than a suspect. "I don't know what I've done to deserve the cold shoulder. I get it. You're not happy to see me. But it's been years, Prim."
And besides, it's not like I left on a sour note. Or my memory isn't serving me correctly.
"Now hold on a second," Axel commanded. It was the first time in many years that he had used this tone of voice towards anyone other than a suspect. "I don't know what I've done to deserve the cold shoulder. I get it. You're not happy to see me. But it's been years, Prim."
And besides, it's not like I left on a sour note. Or my memory isn't serving me correctly.
Prim stopped and spun to face Axel. “You don’t know what you did..,” she repeated sarcastically, hardly able to believe that anyone could be so dense. “Axel, you left! You got scared, and you left when I needed you..” Her eyes closed and her hands pushed her hair away for her face as she let out a slow breath. After attempting to calm her emotions she open her eyes once more and let her hands fall to her side. “Look..it doesn’t matter. We have a job to do. Lets just get it done.” With that she proceeded to the elevator and waited for him to join her.
Primrose was right. Opportunity had reared its head, and Axel had pounced. He had chosen the promise of power and success over love.
But we were kids then, he thought. I had a future to think about.
He could have stood outside that elevator and argued with her for hours, but that would have been a spectacle. Unwise. Instead, he resigned himself and said nothing. He stepped on the elevator next to her and crossed his arms, not bothering to take hold of the grips that dangled from its ceiling. A few more people piled on, along with several paper airplanes that floated above the heads of the passengers. Axel immediately thought of the memo that began this escapade, and wished he had finished his pizza.
He was almost knocked off balance when the elevator moved.
But we were kids then, he thought. I had a future to think about.
He could have stood outside that elevator and argued with her for hours, but that would have been a spectacle. Unwise. Instead, he resigned himself and said nothing. He stepped on the elevator next to her and crossed his arms, not bothering to take hold of the grips that dangled from its ceiling. A few more people piled on, along with several paper airplanes that floated above the heads of the passengers. Axel immediately thought of the memo that began this escapade, and wished he had finished his pizza.
He was almost knocked off balance when the elevator moved.
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