Author's Note: More birthday wishes for Miss Dragon!

Dangerous Beauty V

Scabior's office at the Ministry was his favorite place in the whole world. Admittedly he had seen very little of the known world, but of all Great Britain and most of France and a few spots in Belgium and Switzerland, his office was definitely the best.

It was on the small side, just big enough for a desk and a couple of chairs. The beauty was not found in the furniture, but in the pictures stuck to his walls and tack board. There were pictures of his parents and of him and Angie as children. More recent pictures featured him and Clarisse at Hogwarts and parties. Most of the wall space was taken up by the image of a baby boy, no more than four months old in the latest photos.

"Good mornin', Theo," Scabior greeted his nephew as he did every day, only this time he wasn't alone.

His office was on the second level of the Ministry; Department of Magical Law Enforcement. For all the department's many squads and divisions, it was basically divided into two areas: Aurors and Hitwizards. Scabior was a Hitwizard.

There was a longstanding rivalry between the two factions, with the Aurors thinking themselves above the Hitwizards for being specialized in dealing with a deadlier and more select set of targets whereas the Hitwizards were used as common law enforcement.

Clarisse Pond was Scabior's friend of eight years and an Auror. Scabior liked the separation in their work and the hint of rebellion it added to their friendship, but it wasn't often the two saw each other around the Ministry. Coming to work to find the nineteen-year-old seated at his desk was highly unusual.

"Can I help ye with somethin'?" he asked, sitting on the corner of his desk and smiling at her. She didn't return the smile.

Clarisse was very pretty. Big brown eyes and naturally blonde hair, though constantly dyed over the years. She was always smiling, always happy, and the fact that she suddenly wasn't was more than a little worrying.

"What's wrong?" Scabior asked immediately, straitening.

"Nothing's wrong, exactly," she answered. Even her voice was different, quieter. She was twisting the corner of the day's paper.

Scabior had already read his copy: full of violence and disappearances, a fair share of it aimed at muggleborns. Clarisse was only halfblood, but it still worried him how vulnerable she was.

"I've handed in my resignation," she told him, sounding almost disappointed.

"Why? The war? I'm sure we can do-"

"It's not the war. I'm not easily scared off. It's just … something has come up." She smiled then, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a simple gold ring with a tiny diamond on top. "I'm engaged."

"Since when?"

"Since last night. I mean, I've been seeing someone for a while. I didn't want to tell you because I knew what your reaction would be."

"What reaction? I've been nice to your exes, haven't I?"

Clarisse chuckled. "It's not about that. Brian's a muggle. He's a milkman, and he's very sweet, and I knew you would tell me not to get involved with him."

"Damn right I would," he hissed, suddenly closing his office door. "What if someone finds out? People are being targeted for this sort of thing."

"I know, but it doesn't matter anymore. I can't marry Brian and still work here. I need to keep the Statute of Secrecy, so I'm quitting my job."

Scabior sighed and ran a hand through his red-streaked hair. The streak only served as a reminder of his time with Clarisse, who had taught him how to dye it.

"There's no changing your mind, then?"

"None whatsoever. But you can wish me good luck and attend my wedding, if you want."

Scabior smiled, forcing himself to be happy for his friend even if it meant he'd likely never see her again. "Anythin' for you."