"Magical Games and Sports…"

The clerk looked down at the official looking parchment, and back up at me again; his eyebrows disappearing under his well-oiled hair in disbelief. Ignoring the flush I felt rise to my cheeks, I lifted a cool brow.

"Is something amiss Sir? I can assure you the document is legit."

He settled further back into his chair, tapping the parchment off his desk and staring at me in scepticism.

"Excuse the incredulity. You just don't strike me as the sporty type. I'm wondering why the sudden interest. And urgency. This document was passed this morning, and here you are less than an hour later."

I forced a small smile.

"Not the sporty type... What is it exactly about me that gives you that impression?"

He shrugged, his eyes scanning around the pokey little office on the third floor as he continued tapping the parchment.

"Call it intuition, sweetheart."

Or sexism. Sexism works too.

"I see. I fail to see why it's delaying my learning, though. I know my uncle worked very hard to get me this opportunity on such short notice, and I'd hate to disappoint him."

He rolled his eyes subtly. "Your uncle huh? Let me guess. Some high flyer in the department of Magical Law Enforcement?"

My insides glowed as this idiot tied his own noose. The smug bastard. "Not quite. You may have heard of him, actually."

"Oh?"

"Harry Potter?"

I allowed the silence to linger as he processed his own stupidity, savouring the sweet taste of his embarrassment. I glanced at the clock. I'd be out of here in five and on my way to Jorkins.

"Oh, he also said he knew someone in the department who'd look after me. He's a friend. Only I've forgotten his name. Something… Jorkins?"

Intuition flashed in those beady little eyes.

I love it when a plan comes together.

"Jorkins! Oi! This is Victoire, she's a student at Hogwarts. I know it's a hassle mate, but her Uncle's Harry Potter, and he specifically asked for you. Can she shadow you for a day or two?"

I felt the latter comment was deliberately not made in private as a dig in to me, perhaps in retaliation for his earlier embarrassment. What a pathetic little man. Fortunately I had bigger fish to fry. Fixing my brightest smile, I stepped out from behind to him to greet Jorkins. I'd be lying if I said my curiosity wasn't aroused. I wanted to see what he looked like, what kind of personality he had. I wanted this little window into Bursnell. This little opening into her normal life, where she wasn't being a soul sucking she-demon.

Although she was still ruining a marriage and betraying her boyfriend, so I guess I'd rescind that.

Jorkins was very different to how I'd pictured. He looked in his thirties, nice tanned looking skin, faintly wrinkled, and kind looking, dark eyes that crinkled when he smiled. He stood up from his desk, nodding at the demon clerk, and giving me a quick grin.

"Merlin that guy is a prick. Someone was definitely the runt of the litter."

I snickered before I could stop myself and his grin grew.

"Shit, am I allowed curse in front of you? Too late anyways. Just don't tell your teachers. Here, move those folders out of the way and you can take that seat." He gestured to a chair that was over flowing with parchment, facing his desk. I quickly obliged, wanting to get into his good books.

"So… Magical Games and Sports, huh? Odd choice." He eyed me dubiously, a small smile on his lips.

I bristled despite myself. I was related to Ginny Weasley? I could be a prodigy.

"Because I'm a girl?"

He guffawed, rocking back in his chair. He had a pleasant laugh, his whole body bouncing with the movement. "Merlin no. I've had female students in here that would outscore any boy blindfolded."

I barely had a second to register who he was referring to. Bursnell. It had to be. My heart skipped but he had already moved on.

"No- that's not what I meant. I just mean that I have a wife and a little girl and they spend every knut I earn in here on ridiculous hair potions to get locks like yours. Once week on a broom would ruin them. Or so I'm told." He grinned good-naturedly with a shrug, and my eyes were drawn to a small photo frame on the side of his desk, where a small hazel eyed girl was sitting on Jorkin's shoulders. I swallowed, but he had already moved on, oblivious to my sudden discomfort.

"Right, well I'm afraid to tell you this office is extremely boring. Normally students give up by 2, but you're welcome to stay as long as you want. I just need to finish some paperwork and then I'll take you down to the planning room. They've a few proposals on the upcoming World Cup that might interest you." He fixed me with a knowing smile. "Since you're very interest in Sports."

I gave a coy smile. "Yeah… Maybe not so interested actually. I kind of… was suspended from school, and I'm here as punishment."

He let out a low whistle, not looking remotely perturbed by my confession. "A bad girl, huh? Don't worry, we've all made the same silly mistakes."

Yeah. I'll bet you have.

Yet somehow I didn't feel so sanctimonious. I didn't expect him to be so… nice?

"Well day one at the office all finished with. You're half way to freedom!"

As the lights flickered back on, I blinked myself awake, clearing my throat rapidly. That had to be the most boring two hours I'd ever sat through. I'd lost all sensation in my leg. Flexing my toes inside my boots, I managed a bleak smile up at Jorkins. He grinned back, gathering up his documents and laughing softly.

"Merlin Victoire, you look exhausted. You'd think that nice little nap you took would have rejuvenated you."

I grinned sheepishly. "All the excitement just wore me out I guess. Sorry."

He laughed again. He seemed to always be half smiling at something, always thinking about smiling. He was so far from what I expected. I'd subconsciously anticipated some sleek, ruthless wannabe in the department; ambitious and dissatisfied with his life. Looking for a thrill. Looking to bend the rules.

He seemed to me to be totally different. Kind, well-liked by everyone, unassuming and kind of funny. Almost father-like. Squinting at him, I tried to imagine a world where this kind, generous man would endanger the family he seemed to adore by doing something as reckless as hooking up with Bursnell.

Why anyone would was a mystery; but why Jorkins had, was unfathomable.

"Earth to Miss Weasley? I said what year are you in?"

I snapped to, realising he had been speaking. Clearing my throat again, I smiled quickly. "Sixth Year. I, uh, I'm in Sixth year."

He stilled slightly, rustling his papers with a hint of a frown between his brows. And in a flash it was gone. Back to all smiles.

"Okay, no exam pressure just yet so. What gave you the idea to come here?"

His tone was casual, breezy. Too breezy. I stood slowly, gathering my own belongings. Let him sweat a bit. Let him worry over my answer.

"I didn't want to come at all. I told you. Punishment." I frowned politely at him, as though curious as to his sudden memory lapse. Inside my head was whirring. He was panicking. It wasn't outwardly obvious, only evident in the small tightening of his smile, the minimalist narrowing of his eyes and the almost undetectable delay in his reactions.

His brain must be flying too. Did I know her? Did I know about them? Was there any chance Bursnell could have told? Was there any chance my appearance wasn't a coincidence? The sudden nature of my arrival was looking more and more suspect to him. I watch as he digested his slip, masking it with a roll of his eyes and a self-depreciating sigh.

"Oh Merlin, my mind is going. I've had too many students here I'm afraid. You all merge into one eventually."

Swinging my bag over my shoulder, I realised we were the last people in the room.

"Surely not all of us?" I smiled sweetly, slipping past him and reaching for the handle. He blinked rapidly, allowing himself to be ushered through the doors.

"No, I suppose not, one or two stand out."

"Oh? Anyone I might know? A few people I know came here for internship you know." I smiled more deliberately this time, making eye contact and holding it. Letting him know I knew. Removing doubt without a word.

"Oh?" Fair play to him, he was holding up his mask well. But his hand was taut white on the door handle as he closed it behind him. And it shook when he lifted it back.

"Yeah, I'm in Slytherin see. Half our house comes here." I rolled my eyes easily; acting far more casual than I felt. Outwardly I was flippant and smiling; inwardly I was analytical and tense.

"Yeah I suppose they do." He began moving down the corridor, trying to force me to quicken my pace. I pretended to be oblivious, ambling along as I chatted animatedly.

"Only loads of them were disappointed they couldn't come last summer. One girl had an extended internship and loads of peoples' internships were cancelled. Actually she was here for ages, I wonder if you remember her? She might have been one of the students that made an impression. She generally tends to be."

"I think you already know that I know who you're talking about." His grin fell completely, his face stony and unreadable as he stared at me. Standing still just outside in a deserted corridor, we stared each other down; all pretences abandoned. Glancing up and down around him and confirming we were alone, he gripped me by the shoulder, pulling me to the side and whispering hotly. His eyes were wide and panicked, his jaw clenched tightly.

"What is it you want? You want to ruin my marriage? You want to break my daughter's heart? I made a mistake, ok? One stupid mistake, and-"

"I don't give a shit about your marriage. I'm not going to tell your wife, I'm not going to tell your daughter. I think you're despicable, and that you should certainly tell them but that's really not my concern."

"I don't believe you."

I rolled my eyes, shrugging out of his death like grip. "I don't care what you believe. I'm going to tell you what I believe. Clemence is a bitch. An awful human being. Just the worst. And for some reason, she betrayed the person she supposedly cares the most about, for you."

He opened his mouth to interrupt, but I held up a hand to indicate I wasn't finished.

"Now, I appreciate that to someone like you, betraying someone you made promises to isn't a big deal. And maybe it isn't a massive deal to her either. But it's something. And more than that, she's kept your secret. She was terrified when I found out. Scared shitless. She's since dumped her boyfriend quite callously, so it obviously wasn't fear that he'd discover her lie. And really, sleeping with an older, professional man doesn't seem to me like something she would be ashamed for people to know. Call it a hunch, but I don't think she's that principled."

He stared at me in silence, clearly baffled as to where I was going with this. I'd admit it was probably unusual to be blackmailed by a 17 year old like this. I'd look into counselling when all this was done.

"I think her fear wasn't for Davies, or for herself. It was for you. Fear of your reaction if her behaviour caused your "mistake" to become public knowledge."

"Because she's a human being! She doesn't want my life to be ruined. I know how this looks Victoire, but I am not a bad guy, I swear it-"

I discarded his notion of Bursnell being a "human being" (which was ludicrous) and stiffened my resolve. Did I want my life back? Did I want to enjoy my last year with Teddy without that troll breathing down my back? It was time to stiffen my resolve and summon one last ounce of bitchy Victoire. Then I could let her go forever.

Or at least give her a vacation.

"I told you already. I don't care. I don't care whether you are a nice guy or not. I'm going to make it really simple for you. Up until now, your darling Clemence has been making my life a living hell. She knows that I know. She's known for months. But she's taking the gamble that I don't have the balls to tell. Only problem with that, is that it isn't her gamble to take."

I took a step closer to him, unblinking and unyielding. "It's yours. We've already established you're the one with everything to lose. You decide whether or not you think I've got the balls."

He scanned the hallway around us again, looking for an out. Running a shaky hand through his hair, he sighed weakly. I almost felt sorry for him. He looked so shaken. And he had seemed a nice enough bloke. But then so did his wife.

"I believe you." He whispered.

I cocked a brow questioningly. "Come again?"

"I believe you mean it when you say you'll tell. I'm starting to believe your suspension wasn't accidental and I know your placement in this department, under me, wasn't remotely accidental. I believe you've done all this crazy shit, and I believe you'd do more. Just- what do you want from me?"

I released a large breath, feeling a weight lift instantly from my shoulders. This was it. I had her.

"I think she actually loves you. And when you love someone, you'll do anything to avoid their disdain. I don't care how you do it, but get in contact with her. Let her know I came to see you, and tell her in no uncertain terms that your secret is not hers to play with. If I were you, I would urge her to stay on my good side with any and every means at your disposal. If you don't ensure her cooperation, I will have to settle for her punishment. Am I understood?"

He swallowed. "What if she won't? What happens if-"

"I'm sure you'll be very convincing. And I don't think she'll need much convincing. Not from you."

"But what if-"

"Then I'll write a letter to the Ministry, and the matter will be out of my hands. I don't want to ruin your life, Mr Jorkins, so I'm giving you this opportunity. But I would remind you that I amn't fabricating these accusations. They wouldn't have life if it weren't for you. And her."

I walked away quickly, halting at the end of the corridor and turning to look back at him. "I won't be in tomorrow. You have till Monday."