Humpty Dumpty
Chapter 1
"Fuck." James jumped back as the flames from the pan got a little too high for his liking. He slapped the stainless steel lid down quickly and grabbed the cloth from his coat to wipe his brow.
"This is why we don't like leaving you alone in the kitchen on a Friday night, Flash!" A set of well-defined arms set a crate of soft-shell crabs down next to the walk-in cooler as the flames subsided. "While your food is amazing, most of us fear you may burn the place down." His blue eyes twinkled with mischief and the hint of something else as he watched the young chef peek at the pan, smiling as his creation seemed to fare just fine after the incident.
"I did not become head chef due to a proclivity for destructive fires," James turned to face Liam, his favorite co-worker, "But I will not deny that I push the limit just a little!" He winked and turned back to the dish, plating the fresh meal and ringing a bell at the pick-up window.
It was the last order of the night at the busy London establishment, Quid Row, where James had been cooking for the last 5 years. He loved this job, mainly because he worked his way up from apprentice to head chef in 2 years and he was proud of that achievement, but also due to the amazing team he worked with. He felt a true comradery with each member of his crew and like he was truly welcome into their family.
He turned off the burners on his stove and moved to the walk-in to help Liam put away the next day's dinner. Liam waved him off as he began to load the crate into the walk-in. "No way, you were here early this morning. Get out of here, I'll help Gabby close up shop." James smiled and wiped his unruly black mop away from his eyes, revealing his signature scar—the lightning bolt. It was how he got his nickname, Flash. He capped a hand on Liam's shoulder before taking off his chef's coat and placing it in the laundry.
"You're too good to me, Liam. See you tomorrow!" He winked at the young man and grabbed his messenger bag off of the hook by the door. He peeked out into the restaurant at the last few tables finishing their late night meal. He spotted Gabby by the front door, wiping down menus. "'Night Gab," he called with a small wave before slipping out the back door.
The air was crisp as the next day lingered just a few hours away, but after being in a hot kitchen all day long James felt it refreshing. He took the stroll home at a leisurely pace so he could relax and take in the sounds of London's night life. He was never one to enjoy the clubs and bars himself—his work life never left much room for a social life—but he enjoyed the idea of it. The idea of a vast social life with no responsibility. It just wasn't who he was and he knew that deep down inside. So, he chose to live vicariously through the social elite of London during his journey home.
As he walked down the main street, he noticed that the scene wasn't as lively as it usually was for a Friday night. The city dwellers seemed to have made a collective decision to just stay home tonight. Perhaps it was the pending rain that evening keeping everyone out of the streets despite the simple fact that London was defined by its rainy days and nights. Perhaps it was something else altogether—and if James hadn't been so exhausted from his long day at work he might have noticed that many of the bars that were known for their crowds were not even open that evening.
Had he been thinking clearly at all, he would be thankful for his exhaustion. It was that exhaustion that sent him straight to bed after a quick shower. It was that exhaustion that gave him a restful night's sleep while the rest of London—and most of the world—was trying to comprehend the information on the 10 o'clock world news. News that would change the world as James knew it.
The young woman chewed on her lower lip nervously as she pulled her bushy, sandy colored hair up into a tight bun. She ran her hands over her fitted, pin-striped blazer, smoothing out any wrinkles. She inhaled through her nose and exhaled out her mouth a few times before stepping through a red velvet curtain and out to the podium. Hundreds of lights and flashes impaired her vision slightly as she stepped up to the microphone. The murmurs of the crowd quickly died to a deafening silence as she opened her mouth to speak. "Good evening my fellow countrymen and women. My name is Hermione Granger and I am honored to introduce myself to you as the Head of Muggle Affairs for the Great Britain Ministry of Magic."