The street lamp cast on eerie orange aura through the late autumn condensation through on Xander's bedroom window. Thin curtains did nothing to hold back the glow, illuminating the small room in weird half-light. Clothes lay strewn haphazardly across the floor and most surfaces, and save for the faded flower pattern wallpaper they was no decoration. However, despite its bareness, the room bore the unmistakable signs of occupancy, not the least because there were two fingers lying on the narrow bed in one corner.
The covers were ruffled and twisted around their two figures. One was a young woman, wearing a longish t-shirt, her jet black hair was short at the back and sides, whilst a long fringe swept over her pale face. She lay peacefully asleep, her breath twitching her fringe occasionally, with her head laid on the chest of her companion. He, on the other hand, was not asleep, but lay on his back staring unblinkingly up at the chipped cream ceiling. The light of the street lamp caught an unsettling reflection his eyes, a blueish left eye, whilst the magical right was royal blue and sent a dizzy pattern dancing across the ceiling as it moved frantically around in its socket.
A tap at the window had roused Xander Fellwier from sleep, although in truth he'd been lingering on the edges of dreams all night. Sleep unsettled him, it didn't bring dreams, just half-formed thoughts of events or desired best forgotten. And there is was again, the tap at the window, just behind his head. Gingerly behind him with his free arm, he undid the catch on the window without looking round and pushed it up.
The curtains suddenly billowed out as something rocketed through them and skidded to a halt, twittering on the cupboard across the room. This time Xander did raise his head a little, but before he could look across, the woman stirred. Stopping stock still Xander waited, but she simply laid her head back down and continued sleeping. Without looking across the room, he raised one finger to indicate the feathery intruder to be quiet, for it was still twittering slightly and then beckoned to it softly.
Rolling his magical eye around he saw a tiny owl hop onto the window sill next to his head and drop a letter next to him. Xander reached slowly around and picked it up. However before he could look at it, the owl hopped onto his forehead and peered down at him, head on one side.
"How am I supposed to read it, with you there?" Xander mouthed to Pigwidgeon.
Pig simply hooted happily in response, but Xander raised his finger again.
"Don't make me use a Silencing Charm," he hissed, "Don't think Ron would mind you being quieter."
Pig chirruped, and Xander rolled his good eye, before slowly and carefully opening the letter and holding it up in front up of him.
Izzie, Xander,
GG says you're cleared for the final placements. Well done. Now get up and into the office bloody sharpish!
Ron
As Xander read, his magical eye stayed fixed on the same point and then suddenly zipped to catch up with his normal one. Putting the letter down Xander sighed, and looked back up at Pig on his forehead.
"Ok," he whispered, "We're on our way."
Pig hooted and hopped up and down, excitedly.
"No I can't write a reply," Xander growled, "Just buzz off before you wake her."
With a final hoot, Pig zoomed back out of the window. Xander instead just lay back, watching the upside down, lightening sky through the gently moving curtains. So he'd made it to final placement, which meant that there would five candidates competing for five spaces. Somehow though he doubted he'd be one of them at the end, there'd been better people. More qualified and more obedient.
Looking back down at Izzie, he smiled. She'd earned it though, but how best to tell her? An idea did come to mind. With a grin, Xander closed his eyes and focused on the little kitchenette in their one bed room flat and with a pop, Disapparated.
He was half-way through buttering his second slice of toast, when the door swung open and Izzie stood in the doorway. Meekly he looked up at her, whilst his magical eye kept reading the copy of the Prophet in front of him. He always enjoyed seeing her at this time of the morning, not made up, no make-up and he got to see her legs. Win-win. He smiled pleasantly at her, as she held up the letter.
"Stop staring," she said, her expression set, "Did you Disapparate out of bed again?"
Xander shrugged, "I didn't want to wake you."
Sweeping her long fringe out of her eyes, Izzie glowered at him, "Liar, how is your body suddenly moving to the kitchen not going to wake me up."
Again he shrugged, and pretended to go back to reading the Prophet. Even though there was nothing newsworthy on the front, no sign of Avery. He knew she wanted him to comment on the letter, but all he had to do was wait and…
"We're in!" she shrieked as she rushed across the room and knocked Xander clean out of his chair in an embrace.
What a way to start a day, Xander thought, choking on his mouthful of toast.
The forum room of the Auror Office as a wide space with rows of dark, wooden benches spreading back from a large desk at the front. In many ways it was a classroom, introduction seminars for new trainees and briefing for old hands were all held here. On that very early morning though, it was serving its most important purpose. It was a holding an emergency meeting.
Members of the department were spread sporadically across the benches, like a class in too big a room, not comfortable to sit too close together. They were in suit like robes, some in muggle suits, clearly work uniforms, vaguely presentable, but also functional. All looked bleary eyed, some with cups of coffee and breakfast snacks in front of them. Some held files or twiddled wands. Generally, the mood was one of tired anticipation. They didn't want to be there, but they wanted to know why they didn't want to be there.
However, there were two exceptions. To the front and to one side sat a trio of anxious looking people, two wizards and a witch. They sat bolt upright, with quills in hand and parchment ready. Behind them, sat two wizards, who looked the most comfortable in the whole room. One sat with his hands folded on the desk in front of him, whilst the other was casually going through his bag.
Harry Potter looked sideways at Ron and craned his head slightly to see what he friend as doing. Ron Weasley looked around, and met his friend's gaze.
"What?" he said, as Harry raised his eyebrows.
"What are you doing?" Harry asked him, still vaguely interested in what Ron was holding.
"Oh erm…" here Ron flushed a little, "It's my sandwiches."
"What about them?"
"They're corned beef," Ron sounded more than just a little disgusted.
"So?" Harry couldn't quite see the problem, "Just don't eat them, get something from the cafeteria."
"I can't" Ron muttered, "Hermione made them for me."
"Ron," Harry sighed, " She's not going to find out, I mean…I won't tell her…and you're clearly not…"
"Its not that simple," Ron hissed, looking around before turning back to Harry and lowering his voice to almost a whisper, "She starts here, today. Department of Magical Creatures. So she'll be eating lunch with me and she'll…"
"Ah Ron" smirked Harry, "How long has it been? You've still not told her about you and corned beef. Still people can change."
Ron's eyes brightened, "Yeah…maybe she could change the filling…"
"No," Harry corrected him, "Maybe you could learn to like it."
Ron flushed a little redder, "Look just because Ginny doesn't…"
Harry laughed, "Damn straight she doesn't. I make her sandwiches. Top Quidditch player's privilege."
Ron scowled and returned the packet to his bag, just as Xander and Izzie entered the room. For a moment the noise stopped and all stared at them. In turn they stared back, before making their way down to the front. Izzie dropped into a seat next to the other new recruits, but finding no spare seat next to her Xander dropped in the row behind her, next to Harry. He nodded to both Harry and Ron, who smiled and nodded in return.
"Welcome," Harry leaned into Xander, "and congrats."
Xander turned his head to look at him, but he wasn't smiling.
"Thanks," he said, "but it's a little premature."
Harry stared at him for a second, and Ron blinked.
"Hang on," Ron said, "You made it, you've been accepted."
But Harry could already see the problem, he glanced at the front row and then back to Xander.
"Six candidates," he said, "but only five spaces."
"What?" Ron looked carefully at the front row, "does that mean more funding?"
"No Mr Weasley," Gwen's voice cut in and she strode into the room and up to the large desk at the front, holding a large file, "It means that one of them will be let go before the placements are awarded."
All the trainees, including Izzie whipped around at this, eyes wide. Whilst the older Aurors sat up and began mumbling.
"Has the Minister cleared this?" one called from the back.
"Yes Dawlish," Gwen responded, "Now no more questions. We've got a big one here, and we'll need that extra hand to solve it."