(A/N: For story reasons it makes more sense and will be more interesting to start before PoA rather than after. The timeline has been updated where appropriate to make a bit more sense)

Chapter I: The Misery of June 16

Emma hated June 16th. It was one of the two times of the year that she allowed herself to get depressed. To make matters worse this year her client had requested a meeting with her today and she was still hung over from her sorrow drowning the night if that was not enough, nature chose today to be overly sunny. If there was one thing she should have learned in the field, it would be one that should always be prepared. Unfortunately 10 years as a lawyer had removed her field instincts. Well that and her depression. She stumbled into Smith's office.

"Smith?"

"Yes Schriver."

"Do you have a hangover potion?" Emma whispered the last part. Smith looked around and withdrew a vial form one of his drawer.

"This should be enough, wait what are you doing here?"

"What do you mean?" Emma ask trying to sound ignorant.

"Well, on this day every year or the past ten years you've flooed in sick. You do the same thing for four days after Halloween. Why?"

Emma tried to buy time by downing the hangover potion. This bought her a few seconds.

"Oh there you are Schriver, your client is waiting for you in your office."

Emma's client was Joesph Tendal, a Ward Repairman. He was being sued for malpractice. She honestly did not remember exactly what it was, and she honestly could care less about his case. But a job was a job and she had to defend him as a part of hers. She sat down behind her desk and started her discussion.

"You must be Joesph Tendal, I'm Emma Schriver and I'll be your lawyer or your case. Now what exactly do you do."

"I am a Magical Ward Technician," Joesph answered proudly.

"And that means what exactly?"

"I am licensed to identify and fix any problems that wards may have."

"So what happened in this case?" Emma was looking for something interesting.

"I was called in because the wards in that place are were malfunctioning. I ran the standard diagnostic test and I fixed the problem that I found. I followed company procedure to the letter."

"Do you have any records of the test you ran and the results?"

"They're on file at the head office, you just have to ask for them."

"The wards failed a week later do you know..."

"Schriver, Mr. Lesk wants to see you in his office." The secretary had poked her head into the office and had cut Emma off.

"Joesph, we'll pick it up when I'm done with this."

Joesph gave Emma a pitying look. It was the I know you're going to get fired and I'm sorry about it type of look. Emma never saw that look. She was too busy counting the many blessings of today. Today is the anniversary, and I am going to spend it getting let go after listening to Joesph the unamazing ward repairman, all while being hungover. I hate my life right now.

'Sir, Miss Schriver is here to see you." Lent's secretary poked her head into his office.

"Yes, pull up a seat Emma. So have you made any progress with Mr. Tendal's case."

"No, not really."

"Good, Emma..."

"Since when was making no progress with a client good?" Now Emma really wanted to know what was going on.

"Emma, you are going to be reassigned to the messiest case I have ever seen." Mr. Lesk gave Emma a manila folder. "This is your case folder, which will also take you to his jail cell in about five minutes, have fun." With that Mr. Lesk got up and walked to the door.

"But Sir, this is your office."

"First rule of the office Emma, never question you boss." Mr. Lesk oped the door and walked out. Emma felt a familiar tug behind her navel. A second later she found herself in front of a wizard jailer with the high court crest.

"You're Emma Schriver?" grunted the jailer.

"Yes."

"Follow me."

The jailer led Emma to a carpet and told her to stand there. "Floor B-13" he barked. At once the carpet began to move downward past what would have been the floor. As the carpet drifted downward Emma caught glances of the prisoners in the cell. Nearly half of them were asleep, another quarter were eating whatever they called food at this prison. The rest were doing various things like tracing circles on the cement floors and banging metal cups against the cell bars. Emma never thought people actually did that. Finally she reached floor B-13. Apparently it was only recently inhabited because none of the cells visible from the carpet were occupied. She got off the carpet and walked the row of empty cells until she reached the final cell. In it was a man covered by a mass of filthy black hair.

Emma withdrew a wand from her robe and pointed it to his head. "What the hell are you

doing here?"

The man stretched out and gave off a yawn, then he looked at Emma. "Oh, Emma, fancy seeing you here. I would offer you tea and biscuits, but my hands are tied right now, I hope you understand."

Emma dug her wand into his temple. "I'll give you five seconds to explain yourself."

"What you aren't glad to see me after 12 long years." The man was not bothered by the wand digging into his skull.

"Three seconds, Sirius, you know how I am with deadlines."