"I expect all of you to be on your best behavior," said Professor McGonagall as she stood before the entire collection of seventh-years, all scattered amongst the Slytherin and Hufflepuff tables. They had all been shuffled back into the Great Hall after breakfast for a meeting before they were to leave and spend the day at the Ministry of Magic. So far, it had been nothing more than the standard procedure, "You are representing Hogwarts and we expect the best from our students" lecture; Dominique felt she'd probably heard variations of the same speech about thirty times by now.

The annual Ministry visit was a seventh-year tradition. With graduation around the corner, it allowed anyone wishing to pursue a career in specific areas of the Ministry the chance to meet officials, see headquarters, and even arrange meetings and pre-interviews if they had the right connections. Ansel Baileymoore—whose family had a various influence in several Ministry departments—claimed to have arranged four meetings and would tell anyone who would listen about how impressive it was to have achieved that.

Most people maybe had one or two if they happened to have a parent who knew someone to connect them to. If you were particularly talented, a professor may put your name forward and you might have been invited to interview. That would have been where Louis fit into things had he been here. Others, like Lira Chin—whose parents were Muggles and had no connections—had two interviews that she clearly had gotten on her own merit; Michael Ellison, the potions wunderkind, had also secured two given his skills. Sarah had gotten one in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes. She'd been in correspondence with a Junior Deputy Director since sixth-year after she'd taken a chance in contacting someone due to a growing interest correcting miscast spells and fixing magical accidents. They were all part of the group that had actually earned their meetings.

Dominique, on the other hand, didn't have anything lined up. While she easily had more ties to the Ministry that Ansel Baileymoore did—her Uncle Percy headed the Department of Transportation, her Uncle Harry was a Head of the Auror department and rumored to be taking over the entire Department of Magical Law Enforcement by this summer, and her Aunt Hermione was already a high ranking Deputy Head in the very same department—she wasn't about to use them for the sake of looking important.

She didn't want to sit through boring sit-downs about being an Auror or broom regulatory control because she had family in all of those areas. She had no desire to work in any of those fields and she didn't really have an interest in the Ministry in general, seeing as she wanted to play Quidditch professionally. As it were, she—like many others—was going today because it was an excuse to miss class and get out of the castle.

No one else in Gryffindor outside of Sarah had anything scheduled, though it didn't mean that the day still wasn't filled with various tours and visits to help inform students of their options. They were to be split into smaller groups and led around to get a feel for a future Ministry career, but the simple fact was that Ministry life was not for everyone. Jack wanted to play Quidditch, Natalie wanted to travel and further study Divinatory Arts, Eleanor wants to work for the Prophet, and Flynn...Flynn didn't have much of a plan, so perhaps this trip was good for him.

"Your Heads of Houses have all arranged individualized schedules that have placed you into groups for your tours and lectures," McGonagall was saying. "For those of you with interviews, those have been included. For those of you that do not, activities have been added to your itineraries. You will have a break for lunch at the Ministry commissary and you will all meet by the Fountain of Magical Brethren at the Ministry's entrance no later than ten to five so that we may travel back to school at five o'clock sharp. Anyone who does not return on time can find their own way back to school. Feel free to stop by your Head's office upon your arrival."

There was a general murmur of laughter throughout the group as McGonagall suddenly stepped forward with a small stack of parchment and began calling names out alphabetically, starting with Reggie Avery. One by one, students rose to go and collect their schedules, though Dominique sat back to wait given that she was always at the bottom.

Eleanor had gone to fetch hers, followed moments later by Jack and Sarah just behind him. They returned one by one, though it was Sarah who laid hers down on the table and immediately started scanning it over. "My interview is at one-thirty." She smiled and glanced from Eleanor to Jack. "What group did you get?"

"A," Eleanor said. "I get to start in the Department of Games and Sports."

"Lucky you," Jack said, not looking up from his schedule. "I've got B."

"I got B, too!" Sarah said, sounding happy to hear that. "We've got the Department of Magical Transportation first thing."

He looked up at her as if she'd just suggested they watch paint dry. "Yay."

"Oh, get off it. They've got brooms there. That should interest you."

"It won't," Dominique said. "It's the boring stuff about regulations and rules and it'll put you to sleep. It's painfully dull."

"Doesn't one of your uncles head the department?"

"Yes, and he's painfully dull, too."

Jack laughed a little from beside her, reaching over to give her arm a playful pinch. She smiled back at him.

It had been over a week since their discussion in the changing room and things were going well. Jack wasn't pushing things and they hadn't talked much about their actual status since; they were most definitely still taking things slow, but it was a comfortable slow. They always sat together when they could. There were subtle efforts to touch and have flirty conversation in public and with people around. They still would kiss given the right opportunity, and she'd slept in his room for the first time just the night before.

While she'd geared up for a bit of action, they'd actually only snogged and then talked before falling asleep. The mellow nature of the evening had actually come as a surprise to her.

"You're a liar," she'd said to him as they lay face to face on his pillow. "There is absolutely no way."

"You are," he said affirmatively. "I've always thought so. Always thought you were gorgeous. I mean, don't get me wrong, there wasn't an attraction until recently, but objectively speaking, I've always thought your face was perfect."

"You're a liar." She laughed. "You have eyes. I was a mess. Still am."

Jack propped his head up on his arm, his other hand resting comfortably on her hip. "No, you're not. You have, without question, the prettiest eyes I've ever seen."

She smirked at him. "You know Louis has the same eyes. So, what you're also saying is..."

"Nope," he said immediately, making a face and rolling over onto his back. "He is not part of this conversation."

She laughed, which made him also laugh before adding, "Even if they're all the same, on your face they stand out more. They're piercing. It's sexy. I've found myself lost in yours and that was even before any of this," he gestured between them, "happened."

She rolled over onto her back and laughed. "You're so full of shit."

"I'm not," he said, laughing as well. "I can remember at least two times before we started this where I found myself thinking you were fitter than I'd bothered to realize."

"Oh, this should be good," she said. "Two times, huh?"

He nodded. "First time. Fifth-year. Your sister's birthday party. I was in your living room waiting around because I'd gotten there early. You came downstairs in your purple dress robes that you were forced to wear—"

She inhaled slowly, remembering that night exactly now that he'd mentioned it. They had been purple. They had also once belonged to Victoire—as they always did. Her mum had made her wear them because it was a special occasion and fancy dress was required. She'd felt stupid in them. How did he even remember that?

"And I remember you looked incredible. I'd never seen you dressed up before and I was blown away by it. I still remember you came over to talk to me, and I think it took me a few seconds to remember how to talk to you." He paused, as if thinking, "But if I remember, I think you took the piss at me for my haircut, which reminded me who I was dealing with." He smirked. "Bubble burst."

She stared at him for a long moment as the story sunk in. "You're serious?"

He was nodding again. "I remember looking at your face—your eyes, and the same eyes I'd seen on you a hundred times—but that was the first time I found myself just struck by them."

"Huh," she said, looking up toward the top of his bed and feeling lost in thought. The story checked out, despite her being shocked that he'd been serious. "Wasn't that the night you and Whit got together?"

"It was," he said as he let himself fall back onto his pillow, both of them now lying side by side.

"Also the night you didn't kiss my sister in Truth or Dare?"

"It was a busy night."

She glanced over at him and smiled. He was smiling, too. It was strange to think of what could have been, even though there was no possible way she would have ever even considered him—or anyone—at that point in her life. He wouldn't have either since she ultimately would have changed out of the dress robes and gone back to normal, but it was an interesting thought. He apparently had been in a mood to find something that night because he eventually did with Whit. To think that what they were doing this minute could have happened years before—if so many different circumstances had come into play—it made her think.

"And two?" she asked. "You said there were two."

"Quidditch World Cup," he said, again turning onto his side to propping his head up on his hand. He took his other hand and reached out to rest it on her stomach. "Soon as I saw you. You'd been in France and you'd—"

"The haircut," she said, nodding slowly as she realized. "Wow. That haircut did me wonders, apparently."

"You look amazing with short hair," he said. "You do with long hair too, but it was that, back then, you used to hide behind your hair or pile it up on your head like a bird's nest. When you cut it all off, you suddenly had this perfect face and these amazing eyes and it was just there. It was hard not to look at you."

She turned over to face him. "I never noticed you looking. I feel as if I would have noticed and told you off."

"It's not as if I was sitting there watching you like some weirdo," he offered. "I thought you were hot, I wasn't looking to make anything of it. Besides, I got over it not long after. Once you stopped talking to me."

"I didn't stop talking to you. I picked plenty of fights with you."

"Right, who could forget?" he muttered as he suddenly reached out to squeeze her side. It tickled, making her laugh and involuntarily squirm as he added, "Good times."

She wiggled out of his grasp, though let herself get right up beside him afterwards. "If it makes you feel any better. I realize now that it was the right choice. You've made a better captain than I would have. Your patience alone..." She made a face. She honestly couldn't understand how he even managed to keep his cool as often as he did.

"It's only because I've had your help," he said. "And I honestly mean that."

She knew he did. He'd never said otherwise, even when he had nothing to gain or lose by saying it. "We make a good team."

"We do," he agreed, before he leaned down and kissed her. It was sweet but quick, and when he pulled away, she found herself looking up at him. He may have been going on and on about her eyes tonight, but she had to admit she was a bit taken by his right now. He was also letting that last bit purposely hang in the air—as if to make a point. They did make an excellent team. Perhaps she really should take the hint.

If only it were that simple. She was still so confused as to how she was even supposed to know what she wanted. Was a bell just going to ding in her head? Was she just going to wake up one day and everything made more sense? If she thought about it really hard, would she be less afraid of the commitment and the risk? It was as if she was waiting for a sign that she didn't know would ever come. All she knew was that she really fancied him and wanted it to always stay this simple.

"I don't get it," Sarah had said to her earlier in the week, once Dominique had explained to her everything that had happened with Jack. "You're afraid of what exactly?"

"I've never had a boyfriend."

"Ehhh," Sarah made a face. "Don't get me wrong, he was a rubbish one, but I still argue that Davies was. So, you actually have."

"I've never had a proper one. One that cared. One where you're supposed to actually put in the effort and...whatever it is you're supposed to do."

"Supposed to do?" Sarah asked. "You're not really supposed to do anything more than what you already enjoy doing together. You talk, you do things, you have a laugh, you touch each other naked. Rinse repeat. Just don't do the naked part with other people and you're set."

"Until all of that stops working and you fall apart."

Sarah grew quiet. When Dominique looked over at her, she realized she didn't have much of a response to that. It wasn't until after a prolonged silence that she said, "There's always that chance."

"Exactly. Why take that chance?"

"Why take a chance on anything, then?" she asked. "There's a chance someone else catches the Snitch, do you just not bother playing?"

"Stop," she said, waving her off. "Don't do Quidditch metaphors when you barely understand the game. And I'm not even sure that meant what you wanted it to mean."

"Whatever," Sarah mumbled. "Point is, even if things do fall apart, you've lived and learned. You avoid your mistakes and you grow as a person. And there's always a chance it works out. You'd never know if you don't take the bloody chance."

"Knowing what you know now, would you do it all over again with Louis?"

Sarah stared at her; her lips pursed in a particular manner before she finally said, "Yes."

"Liar."

"I'm not lying. He and I were really good for a long time. That was a year of my life and I loved him." She got quiet and mumbled, "Hell, I still do—it doesn't flip off like a switch. But regardless, I learned a lot about myself. So yeah. I would. Only difference is the second time, I'd talk him out of entering the tournament."

In the Great Hall, Flynn had returned to the table with his schedule, to which Natalie immediately began scanning it over his shoulder as he announced he was in Group A. At the same moment, McGonagall called out, "Wallace, Weasley, and Young."

She and Natalie both stood, walking the short distance to where McGonagall handed Dominique a copy of hers before Natalie received hers. Her eyes quickly went to where it stated she was in Group C.

"I'm in C," Natalie said as she followed behind Dominique.

"I am as well," she said once she'd returned to her seat next to Jack, reiterating to everyone what group she and Natalie had been placed in. She laid her schedule down on the table and Sarah immediately reached across to take and inspect it.

"We're starting in Magical Law Enforcement," Natalie said to her.

"Of course," Dominique muttered without enthusiasm, finding herself completely unsurprised. Why not walk straight into a department where the Weasley name held quite a bit of clout? She always thoroughly enjoyed having her classmates side-eye her for coming from a well-connected family. Perhaps she should take a lesson out of Baileymoore's book and simply embrace it. He never seemed to care.

She glanced at Jack, who turned to look at her the second she had. He looked less than enthusiastic about his potential day and she had to wonder if she was making a similar expression. "I was really hoping we'd get the same group."

"I never get that lucky," she mumbled, noticing that his hand was under the table and casually resting on his leg. She'd been trying to push herself to be more public and showy, just so he knew she meant how she felt, so she reached out and took his hand with hers. He didn't even flinch when she did it, letting his finger interlock with hers as Flynn suddenly called his attention across the table to ask him something.

He turned to talk to him, though held her hand snugly—probably as he had a hundred times before in his life since it was such a simple gesture for most people. What he couldn't have known was that she'd never made that attempt on anyone before—especially not where other people could see it. This was a huge gesture on her part and she'd done it. She felt rather proud of herself.

"Wait, what's this?" Sarah asked, pointing at Dominique's schedule.

"What's what?" she asked, just as McGonagall, who'd finished handing out all of the schedules, was now calling for everyone to stand and follow her toward the large fireplace situated in the center of the room. They needed to gather in their groups.

"You've got something scheduled for later in the afternoon," Sarah said as she stood, everyone else standing as well. "It says 'Interview, Office 515.' Here. Have a look."

Jack had dropped her hand in order to stand up, and she'd taken that moment to reach across the table to take her schedule back and see what Sarah was pointing at. She was absolutely right, but where had that come from? She hadn't asked for that and she certainly hadn't arranged it herself. "515. Would that be level 5? What's on level 5?"

"Department of International Magical Cooperation," Sarah said as they followed the crowd.

"Why would I want anything to do with that?" Dominique asked, already feeling the squeeze of Jack grabbing her hand once again. She glanced down briefly, now realizing they didn't have the safety of the table to keep this hidden any longer. They were doing this very openly. She was actually...doing this. A public display of affection. She...wow.

Jack wasn't even paying attention and certainly wasn't thinking about it as she was. He was currently comparing his schedule with Mike Ellison and Nick Corning, as casually as could be. It only reaffirmed to her that she was being absolutely mental even dwelling on it. No one even cared. Why was she so in her head about this, but barely gave sex a second thought?

"Maybe other people have things, too?" Sarah said, rounding on Flynn and Natalie, who were comparing their schedules. "Hey, what do you have around four?"

They both looked up at her before Natalie let herself glance back down at her parchment. "Tour of the courtrooms."

Flynn nodded. "Same."

"Oh, that's nice. At least we'll have that together," Natalie began to say to her boyfriend, though Dominique had already turned back around to Sarah. She noticed then that Sarah was looking at her with a funny sort of smile, having just noticed her holding onto Jack's hand. She seemed impressed with her, but thankfully didn't speak on it.

Dominique stopped and tugged on Jack's hand to tear his attention away from the conversation he'd been having. When he glanced back at her, she asked. "What do you have at four?"

He was clearly trying to have two conversations at once now, though as he attempted to wrap the first one up, he handed her his schedule without question. She took it and began reading it over, with Sarah also peeking at it. It seemed he also had a tour of the courtrooms, just as the others did.

"Maybe one of the professors recommended you for something?" Sarah offered.

Dominique threw a look as if to say that was ridiculous. "My marks are average at best. And lately I can barely claim anything close to best. And don't they usually tell you? Get you prepared?" She looked ahead, noticing that everyone was splitting up into their groups. "It's more likely that someone got their paperwork mixed up and they've got the wrong Weasley."

Sarah smirked before she reached out and swatted Jack to get him to move along since they were headed to the same group. When he didn't respond, she shrugged him off and said her quick goodbye to Dominique before walking toward the B group. Not even the moment she'd left, Jack finally tore himself away from the other conversation he'd been having.

"You need to go that way," Dominique offered, pointing after where Sarah had gone.

He groaned a little as they finally broke apart. He'd turned and was now taking a few backwards steps away. "Find me at lunch?"

She nodded, noting that her own C group was standing just a few feet away. She again threw him a small smile, which he returned before bumping into someone. It startled him into turning around then. She watched him go, wondering how was it possible to want someone so badly but also be terrified of getting too close to them at the exact same time? Why was she so broken? Why couldn't she just be normal?

She glanced back down at her schedule—her afternoon meeting now staring her in the face. What were you and where did you come from?

"And here," a tall woman named Valerie—their tour guide through the Department of Magical Law Enforcement—was saying as she walked the group of them through the next section of the enormous office, "we have the famous Auror Offices. Now, is anyone here looking into a career as an Auror?"

A quiet Hufflepuff boy called Upton, who'd Dominique had perhaps spoken to twice in her life and both times he's answered with one word, raised his hand. Everyone stared at him, seemingly surprised that he was interested in one of the most difficult and highly trained positions in the Ministry. He barely even talked.

"Excellent," said Valerie, smiling at him. "I'm sure you're well aware how rigorous the requirements are. You will need 'Exceeds Expectations' scores in all core N.E.W.T.s to even be considered for training. So study up!" She laughed. "It is an elite program led by the absolute best man for the job, Mr. Harry Potter, so it only accepts the best of the best."

Upton's hand shot up in the air. "Is he here? Can we meet him?"

Valerie continued to smile a very put-on sort of way. "Mr. Potter is an incredibly busy man, as I'm sure you understand. We may get lucky and see him walking the corridors between meetings, but I ask that you please do not ask him for autographs. That is highly frowned upon." She gestured around the room. "Now, the Auror Department was founded in…"

Dominique sighed. They'd been here an hour and she'd already learned everything from what it took to qualify to become a Hit Wizard, the importance of alcohol regulations across Britain, and the consequences of illegally bewitching muggle artifacts. She was told why a career in Witch Watching or Law Enforcement were terrific opportunities, and why record keeping and administrative registration maintenance was the key to a functioning wizarding society. She had to hand it to the bloke who'd spoken in the Registration Department for even attempting to make record keeping sound interesting,

Upton was still asking question after question about the Auror office, which Valerie was answering as best she could. They still had the entire Wizengamot Administrative wing of the department to get through, all before moving onto the Department of Games and Sports. It seemed they were hitting all the major departments today except for the Department of Mysteries, which was really the only one Dominique would have cared to see. But according to Valerie—in an answer to Marlowe Quinn asking why they couldn't go see it—that you only see the Department of Mysteries if they wish to see you. And they don't wish to see many people.

"Now down this hall are the offices of Wizengamot, which is the judicial center of our Ministry," Valerie was saying. "We are very fortunate that an actual Wizengamot member, Mr. Singh, has offered us an audience to answer any and all questions you may have about what the Wizengamot is and how you can get there one day."

Dominique groaned, noticing that Natalie was standing right beside her sharing her sentiments. The closest Dominique was ever getting to the Wizengamot was if she was ever on trial one day, so this all seemed rather pointless.

Valerie was already harping on about how this office was the heart of the Ministry. It was easily the busiest office they'd seen yet, with desk after desk lined up in rows and people filling each seat. They were pouring over paperwork that continuously flew in from overheard in a constant stream. These seemed to be the clerks who handled the administrative duties and day-to-day affairs of the Wizengamot. Larger offices—those for more important people and, presumably, Wizengamot members—all lined the walls with most of their large oak doors shut to the chaos out here in the main room. Dominique felt dizzy looking around at how busy everyone looked. How did they even get used to all of this?

"We're a touch early for our meeting with Mr. Singh," Valerie said, checking her watch, "so allow me to catch you up on some of the more interesting cases that the Wizengamot had been handling lately."

"I don't see how people can work here," Natalie said as memos and documents flew overhead. "I'm getting anxious just standing in this room."

"It takes a certain kind of person," Dominique agreed, now thinking that someone like Sarah would probably enjoy this sort of thing. She worked well under pressure and was good at multitasking. She'd probably get a kick out of this. She watched the clerks hard at work, though something across the room caught her eye as one of the large oak doors opened and a small group of about five people emerged—the last of whom being her Aunt Hermione.

She was leading the group across the floor and in her direction—presumably toward the exit. Two of the hanger-ons were taking notes as she and the other two individuals—a man and a woman—talked and walked. Dominique couldn't help but notice that several clerks had stopped working as she walked by to watch her and smile politely. She'd always known her aunt was a powerful woman, but it was different to actually see in action. Most of her memories of her came from family gatherings where she was always insisting her children limit their sweets to avoid the extra sugar or the occasional giggles she'd catch after a glass of wine too many on Christmas Eve.

They were about to walk right past, and while Dominique was standing directly in her line of sight, her aunt clearly had tunnel vision at the moment and was entirely focused on what she was doing. She wouldn't be surprised if she walked right by her without noticing, but Dominique felt stupid at least not trying to say hello. She waved a little weakly as she passed, though as she suspected, it went unnoticed as her aunt and her cohorts continued walking.

Or so she thought, because once her aunt had gotten three or four steps away, she suddenly stopped and turned back around. Everyone with her stopped as well, seemingly confused as to what was happening. Her aunt was staring right at her, a surprised smile now present on her face.

"I'm sorry," Hermione said to one of the people she'd been speaking to. "We'll continue in a moment. That's my niece." She walked back over and reached out to give Dominique's arm an affectionate grab. "Dominique. How are you?"

"Doing well," she said, smiling as she noticed her classmates all watching. Whether they actually knew who her aunt was or just sensed she was important in some way, she didn't know. "Taking the Ministry tour with school."

"That's wonderful!" Hermione said, still smiling. "So many fantastic opportunities here. Do you have a particular field of interest?"

Dominique slowly shook her head, suddenly feeling rather intimidated by her aunt's general power persona. She suddenly wished she had a better plan—or at least something she could lie about to sound a bit more impressive. "There's...just...so much here."

Hermione was nodding. "It truly is overwhelming, but follow what your passion is and you'll find your fit. I started out in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures because I was always passionate about restructuring the rights of underprivileged creatures. Eventually I made my way up the ranks here. And next..." She trailed off, "Well, the sky's the limit, right?"

Dominique nodded. "I don't think you can go much higher around here, Aunt Hermione. You've done it all."

"You'd be surprised," she said with a funny sort of smile. "How's your brother? Have you heard from him?"

"Not recently, no."

The people her aunt had been walking with were now indicating that they needed to continue on, to which Hermione acknowledged before looking back at Dominique. "We're all keeping a close eye on that Tournament. He needs to get back in one piece. I've actually talked to quite a few people around here who are very keen to recruit him."

"Unsurprising."

Hermione laughed a little, at least somewhat amused by her reaction. "Please let me know if you find anything here you're interested in. I can easily talk to some people and get you a meeting."

"Unless you know anyone on any pro-Quidditch teams, I think I'm alright."

"You'll want to talk to Ginny about that," she said, half turning as if to excuse herself. "I'm not much help there. Did you see Harry? I think he's in the office today. Hard to say where his schedule sends him." She pointed back to the people who were waiting for her. "But I'm so sorry. I need to be downstairs. It was lovely to see you. Send Rosie my love, will you?"

"I will," she said, watching as her aunt was off again, her small entourage following her out the door. She'd always heard her aunt had been exceptionally clever—a top of her class, best at everything type—which of course reminded her of Louis. Dominique had to wonder if in twenty years time, her brother would walk these corridors in a similar fashion. It definitely wasn't going to be her.

She turned around and saw that her entire tour group was gone, though Valerie was standing there and seemed to be waiting for her. Dominique looked around, wondering where everyone had run off too.

"I'll lead you to Mr. Singh's office," Valerie said, gesturing for her to follow. She glanced back at Dominique a little curiously as they walked. "You know Ms. Granger?"

"Yes."

"She's a lovely woman," she said. "When I heard she was the Minister's first choice as a replacement, I was relieved because I think she'd do a great job. I think the people would be behind it given her impressive history. She hasn't accepted the nomination yet, but everyone around here thinks she will."

Dominique looked over at her. While she'd heard all of those words and knew what they meant, she hadn't understood anything she'd just said. "Replacement as...Minister of Magic?"

Valerie nodded.

"When did Shaklebolt decide to quit?"

"The Minister," she corrected, emphasizing every syllable of that word, "will step down this June. He made the announcement at the start of the year."

"Huh," Dominique muttered, wondering how on earth something like that had slipped past her. She had been busy lately, but that seemed like pretty big news. Not as big as the fact that her aunt may be the next bloody Minister of Magic, which was...that was huge. That was next level. Shit. She didn't even know what to make of that, How has no one mentioned that? Did they not even know? Had she just gotten an insider scoop?

"Here you are," Valerie said, stopping in front of a large oak door and slowly opening it. "Your friends are inside with Mr. Singh. Please be quiet as you enter."

Dominique was happy to now have this new knowledge of her aunt's potential enormous career jump to occupy her thoughts while this Singh character nearly bored them all to death with tales of the least interesting cases the Wizengamot had ever tired. Instead of making it sound at all interesting by telling them about Death Eaters or war crimes, he seemed to have a hard-on for financial issues and tax evasion.

Dominique was happy to have come in at the end and got to stand near the door, because it at least offered her a view out the window and back out into the main floor, where she'd made a game of watching clerks tackle their flying paperwork memos.

"Kill me," Natalie whispered once they shuffled out of the office and back into the main room. "This department never seems to end."

"I think that's it," Dominique offered, looking around for Valerie in the hopes that she would now lead them out of this place and out into one of the small, equally as boring, but different departments. She wasn't even sure Valerie was coming with them for the rest of this tour, but she was the only way they were currently getting out, so she needed to—

"Hey you," came a voice that happened to poke her in the side in passing. When she turned to look, standing there was Stewart Reynolds, still as ridiculously handsome as ever and perhaps even more so since the clerks were required to dress rather smartly. He looked very put together as he held a folder in his hand and grinned at her. "Long time no see."

She smiled at him, which was nearly impossible not to when he turned that grin on her. Beside her, Natalie actually gasped. She wasn't even nonchalant about it—she gasped and was now openly staring at him.

"It has been," she said, and giving Natalie a side-eye as Stewart politely turned his smile onto her. "This is where you work?"

"This is where I work," he said, briefly turning that smile onto someone else in their group who he seemed to recognize. "You taking the tour? Thinking about a career in Law?"

"Oh, absolutely not."

He laughed. "It's not for everyone. I love it, though."

"I suppose someone has to," she muttered, gesturing around the room. "This room is so chaotic it gives me a headache standing here. I don't know how you deal with it."

"You get used to it," he said, with a shrug. "But I need to get these," he held up his folder, "to where they belong." He threw her another dashing smile as he started to walk away. "You look terrific, though. It was good to see you."

"She's got a boyfriend," Natalie said randomly, choosing now to speak for the first time.

"Good to see you, too," Dominique called after him, though she turned onto Natalie and looked at her as if she was absolutely mental. "Really?"

She wasn't even listening. She was still watching Stuart walk away in a complete daze, as if he'd left behind some sort of love potion in his wake.

"You do actually have a boyfriend. Remember?"

"He's so fit, it hurts to actually look at him," Natalie mumbled before she looked back at Dominique.

"For the love of Merlin. He's just a person."

"He was very chatty with you."

Dominique laughed in disbelief. "He didn't even say anything, so where do you…?" She shook her head. She wasn't sure she actually wanted Natalie to answer that question. "I've already been there and done that, so I'm alright. Not to mention, who has the patience to be with someone that handsome? It'd be exhausting."

Natalie shrugged. "I mean, Jack is cute and all, but Stuart is…" She actually swooned.

"Well, I prefer Jack," she said, the words coming out without much thought.

Natalie closed her eyes and inhaled slowly. "I don't understand you."

"You really shouldn't try to," Dominique said, shrugging as she finally saw that Valerie had returned to gather them and take them to whatever the next boring department was.