The conference room was quiet. Matt was standing before a large pad of paper, with a rough sketch of an auditorium. He trying to figure out just how to set the room up so the girls coming in for the 'International Girls in STEM Fair' would be comfortable all while keep allies with allies and hostile countries away from each other. Daisy was busy on her iPad, Jay was stress reading the latest memorandum, and Blake was typing the meeting minutes.
"So, basically this is a summit for a bunch of girls like, Hermione Granger, to come present their projects and talk to American Companies and Colleges." Blake said as he was typing away.
The room stayed quiet. "Who says they have to be Gryffindors? A Ravenclaw would fit right in too." Matt said quickly "Or maybe a Hufflepuff." He added in a whisper.
"I'm sorry, but a statement like that makes me think you are trying to defend your house." Blake said with a snarky smile. "Don't tell me you are a Hufflepuff." He raised his eyebrow as he looked around the room.
Matt was sheepish "I have to defend my house, it was what Professor Sprout would want me to do!" He said it as if he was defending his honor. Blake held up his hands, to show he meant no harm "What are you anyway!" demanded Matt.
"Gryffindor." Blake answered shortly "Don't believe me just look at my Pottermore account, I took the quiz, twice."
"Well, I happen to be a Ravenclaw, intellect and good looks, plus I look great in blue." Daisy chimed in without looking up for her iPad. "I would say I agree with mine. I bet you Jay is Slytherin."
"I never was really into that whole Harry Potter thing, why live in a world of make believe when this world is falling apart and we need to be the ones that put it back together! Seriously, why?" Jay had closed the binder before him and looked around the room. "Why, why invest the time in a world so idyllic that you lose track of what is happening here?" He looked around the room waiting for an answer.
"Well" Matt said slowly, "It was a big part of our childhood, it was a fun read with great movies. But to invest time, or believe in something is nothing more than a way to wish for change or to try and be something new. Unlike the books, we don't get to use magic to fix it, we use diplomacy. And instead of 'He Who Shall Not Be Named' destroying the wizarding world, we have actual national leaders who actually destroying nations. Did you not read books as a kid? Did you have fun at all?"
Jay stood "I can work in my office, I don't need you all to waste my time." He stormed out, without allowing the others to even get in a single word.
"Yeah, I see it too." Blake said. "Rude."
The remaining three worked in silence in the conference room, each one reviewing the guest list and working on ways to get Congress to allocate more of a budget for the event. Neither of them heard Nadine walk in, and take a seat among them. She sat in the silence before clapping her hands and making them all jump.
"So, what are the plans you came up with? Where is Jay?" She asked ready to get down to business.
"Well, we insulted him, even though he mainly insulted us." Blake said only to be meet by a strange look from Nadine. "You see, the topic of Harry Potter came up, we talked about our respective houses, guessed he was a Slytherin which then caused him to storm out of the room because we were childish." Blake merely shrugged as he finished the thought and returned to his screen.
"What are you all?" Nadine asked "I mean house wise, according to Pottermore not some fake Buzzfeed quizzes."
Matt looked at her in shock, "you are a fan?" She nodded "One, I am impressed and surprised. Two, I am a Hufflepuff." He pointed to himself with pride.
"Ravenclaw" Daisy chimed in.
"Gryffindor, I took the test twice." Blake said triumphantly
Nadine nodded before she spoke. "I caused a hat stall. I had the option to choose between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Of course I chose Ravenclaw, leave the courage to someone else, they will always need the brains to get the job done correctly. Besides, I do enough dueling that having Professor Flitwick as my head of house would have prepared me well when dealing with other Chiefs of Staff." Nadine said with a smile, she liked having the chance to bond with the others, she maybe a little older them, but it didn't mean she wasn't up to date or interesting.
"Jay was just bitter and probably had a boring childhood." Matt added as he took yet another pastry. "Makes you hope that kid of his actually gets to grow up and believe in magic." He turned back to Nadine, he was so excited that she liked Harry Potter. "Favorite class?"
"Conveniently, Charms, though I would like to be on the Quidditch team." Nadine relied. "And you?"
"Honestly, I think I would like the History of Magic, being a historian and speech writer." Matt answered thoughtfully. "No Quidditch though, but I be in the library a lot. Daisy?"
"Please, I would be the best dressed witch, while rocking it in Defense Against the Dark Arts… that is pretty much what I do anyway. But, Care of Magical Creatures would be fun because I would have a pet unicorn. Blake?"
"Easy, I would be a seeker on the Quidditch team, I would be a prefect then head boy. I would be working hard at Transfigurations, my animagus would be a small dog because I am loyal. I would be good enough at potions so that Snape would at least consider me as a good student. And anything Professor McGonagall might need, I would be her helper and star student." Blake was proud that he had his imaginary wizard life set.
"You would be the assistant to the Headmistress of Hogwarts? Blake, that is what you do now…" Matt chimed in.
"Well it's good to see you all are predictable." Nadine chuckled. "What do you think about the Secretary?" The room was quiet, "really? No guesses?"
"Gryffindor." Blake said finally, "Look at all the amazing work she does, and the people she tackles. I would say Gryffindor because of the courage." He looked around at the others, looking for some help in the answer.
"But I could also see her being a Ravenclaw, all the intellect in one tiny person." Daisy added "we can also agree she isn't a Hufflepuff, Matt. Even though she is 'great at finding solutions.'" Daisy smirked as she said it, bringing a smile to everyone in the room.
"Fine, but she is cunning, so a touch of Slytherin might be in there." Matt offered. "Just my two cents, not that my Hufflepuff-ness seems to mean anything,"
"I will let her know Matt, that you think she could be a Slytherin. You might get fired." Nadine said as she opened her binder and put her glasses on. "Or not, we should find a way to ask her."
"Maybe not me…" Matt looked a little pale.
"Matt, I am kidding, now show me where we have those little Gryffindors sitting."
The day had ended, the rest of the office had left, leaving Elizabeth and Nadine to be the only remaining souls on the 7th floor, not by chance but because it was date night. Elizabeth promised Nadine a trip out to the Chesapeake Bay for some fresh crab.
"Ready to go?" Elizabeth waltzed in unannounced to collected Nadine. She was dressed in a simple white blouse, with a necktie collar that was tied lazily in a knot, a navy blazer, and black slacks and heels. Her hair looked a little messy but curled as it reached her shoulders.
"Yes! I just need… What do I need…" Nadine was caught off guard as she worked to get her shoulder bag together. "Just my binder and some files to read before…"
"Babe, it's date night, do you really think you will have time." Elizabeth had a wicked grin as she said it.
"At least I can pretend to be productive." Nadine answered as she pulled her arms through her sweater, it was the warmer days of fall were a pencil skirt and a cardigan over a flowy blouse were acceptable. "Hey" she said she got to Elizabeth.
"Hey" Elizabeth answered as she leaned into smooch Nadine's waiting lips. "I have to admit the perks of being Secretary of always getting a table wherever we go is pretty terrific."
The pair walked hand in hand, to the elevator. Nadine was lost in thought… How do you ask the Secretary of State if she is a Slytherin?
-
The sun was setting at a tavern in Annapolis, right on the water watching boats lazy come in and out of the channel. The crab was rich and delicious and the wine was flowing.
"Elizabeth, I have to ask you something." Nadine said bluntly. Elizabeth gestured with her fork that she could ask away. "Are you a Slytherin?" This was met with only silence. Nadine tried to cover her tracks "the staff and I were talking about Harry Potter, and our respective houses, and we were wondering about you."
"Why, would like me better if I was a Hufflepuff?" Elizabeth mocked.
"I would love you either way I just… Blake says Gryffindor, his house. Matt said there might be a chance of Slytherin but he is a Hufflepuff, and Daisy said Ravenclaw, her house. Jay was too angry to have that conversation and left the room."
"What do you think?" Elizabeth ask as she leaned forward sipping her win.
"Gryffindor, you are courageous and brave. But I could also see Ravenclaw, which is also my house, because you can be quiet and brilliant." Nadine looked down at her almost empty glass and reach for the bottle of wine but was beaten by Elizabeth.
"Though, brief I do like your assessment of me. I guess I could tell you… but you will have to keep the staff guessing, I don't want them to know." Nadine looked at Elizabeth with excitement. "I am in fact a Gryffindor, Pottermore tells no lies. But when I was CIA, I could see being a Slytherin with the work I was doing and the places I would go and the people I would talk to." She poured herself a glass
"Favorite class? Would you play Quidditch?" Nadine fired back.
"Well, I would want to my Professor McGonagall proud so I would do well in Transfigurations, but it would be a tie between that and Defense against the Dark Arts. I am not sure about Quidditch, I would really like to be involved with Care of Magical Creatures because I do have horses in this life so I would want to train unicorns. I would want to be an Auror after graduating, or comeback and teach at Hogwarts… or maybe be the next headmistress." She sipped her wine "Answer your questions?"
Nadine smiled. "Answers all of them, just glad I am not dating a Slytherin." She winked "I might be on the team, but I would be a wicked dueler and a master of charms." Nadine added.
"I know you are in this life, and seeing that would probably make me fall for you, hard." Elizabeth added. "Admit it, we would so be doing it in the library."
"You would have to force me to keep quiet, I would much rather moan your name." Nadine responded shooting Elizabeth a knowing look.
"Oh, please don't tempt me." Elizabeth said as she tapped her fingers on the table.
"Shall we head home?" Nadine said as she looked for their waiter
Walking out to the motorcade Elizabeth reach to grab grabbed Nadine's arm. "Hey" she said. Nadine stopped and turned to look at Elizabeth. "I love being able to talk about nerdy things with you, and share books, movies, and shows, and just… be normal in the chaos we live in."
"It is pretty wonderful" Nadine added with a wide, sweet smile. The kind of smile that was only ever for Elizabeth.
"Thank you." Elizabeth said as she took a long slow breath.
"For?" Nadine asked quickly.
"Being you." Elizabeth wrapped her arms around Nadine's waist and kissed her. First the kiss was gentle and soft, tasting wine on the others lips when Nadine slipped a hand up to get tangled in Elizabeth's hair. Pulling her down to kiss her harder. Elizabeth let a hand drop to Nadine's rear and scooted her in closer while giving a gentle squeeze. "Nadine…" Elizabeth whispered as a chill went down Nadine's spine.
"Elizabeth..." She kissed Elizabeth again "I love you."
"I love you too, let's go home."
The pair jabbered on the way home about what they would do if they were at Hogwarts, and if they had met while attending the wizarding school. Questioning wand types, patronus, animagus and anything else they could think, agreeing that this weekend would be a Harry Potter binge session.