Chapter Twenty-One

Priorities

Laura arrived at the department to see Severus Snape standing in front of the flag board with his spectacles on, studying it as intensely as he often did since he started taking shifts.

"Hi," Laura said, then walked over to try to figure out who he was watching.

"Done early, were we?" Severus asked conversationally.

"Andrew made short work of them," Laura explained, Severus nodding in approval. "I also went over to Sagittari's to check on Father, but Mum, John, Sirius, and Anna are already over there, so it was a bit crowded... besides that, he didn't seem to want me there." Severus gazed at her curiously. She shrugged. "He became agitated and upset when I came in. Mum pulled me aside and said he was really concerned about the low dose he was on and it was affecting how he was dealing with people. He settled down once I took my Cu Sith form, but I didn't see much point in hanging out after that."

"He was simply concerned about your safety under the circumstances. His reaction to your being there is understandable," Severus decided.

"It's not like I wasn't raised knowing what to do... it's not as if it's the first time he's lost control around me," Laura said with irritation.

"All the more reason that he probably doesn't want it to happen again," Severus replied.

"I guess. Anyway, Rel suggested I come back here for the rest of my shift and find out if you needed help with anything," Laura explained.

"I was planning to meet my daughter for lunch. Care to come along? Jamie is in the cafeteria, and she is going to watch the board while I'm gone."

"Oh, all right, if you don't feel like I'd be in the way or anything..."

"It's a working lunch, I assure you," Severus said. "I am acting on a hunch."

"A hunch? Since when do you pay attention to hunches?" Laura asked critically.

"You took Arithmantics, did you not?" Severus said, Laura nodding at that. "Sometimes when the algebraic part of the equation is lacking information, one has to narrow the number field by making educated guesses. We are at an impasse to where the missing persons have gone; so it is time to make some guesses so that we can at least eliminate some possibilities. So far, the only thing we know far is they are out of the country. But I can offer some educated guesses to that; they are somewhere southern or sunny, likely English-speaking but in an area there are few connections to their enemies. It wouldn't be filled with so many wizards that they wouldn't be able to hide where they are; but somewhere that oddities would be easily overlooked due to the tolerant nature of the local Muggles."

"Oh. California?" Laura suggested, but Severus shook his head.

"It was the first I eliminated; Vallid's influence in California is well known by all of them; they wouldn't have risked that," Severus explained. "I've also been able to eliminate Hong Kong and South Africa thus far... I have called in a favor to eliminate some English-speaking Carribean islands, as well, but have yet to hear back. Alex has feelers out in the Oceanic region for me, where as I have some in the United States... that's where we're going for lunch."

"Only it won't be lunchtime there," Laura pointed out.

"Yes, well, I doubt it'll matter much considering where we're going," Severus said enigmatically. "You are going as well?"

"Sure, you got me curious now," Laura admitted.

It wasn't a long wait until Jamie arrived and the two of them walked over to the International Port pads and flashed their passes before stepping onto the New York pad, and then to California.

"I thought you ruled this out?" Laura asked when they took a pause.

"Sorry, two more to go, but one is a local one," Severus explained before stepping on the pad to southern Nevada. Laura followed behind to find him the enormous room full of local portals, many with symbols rather than words above them. "This one over here, I believe," he said, after glancing at a note in his pocket. They grabbed a portkey that resembled a palm tree and found themselves standing in a discreet alcove next to a casino floor.

"A casino for lunch?" Laura said, even more curious.

"There are restaurants in here... I'm told the one we're going to is close and I'll know it when I see it," Severus explained, glancing around. "Just as well that it's early... as noisy as it is in here, I'd hate to see it when it's busy... that must be it," he added, rolling his eyes as he led Laura across the floor to the Lucky Penny cafe.

"I guess I don't have to ask what daughter we're having lunch with now," Laura grinned.

"Hardly," Severus said, glancing around.

"Hey! You made it!"

Severus turned to see Lucky standing there in Muggle tourist clothes, and Laura wondered if they shouldn't have changed first. Severus, it seemed, didn't seem too worried about it.

"You are strangely wide awake for this time of the morning," Severus observed.

"I just haven't been to bed yet," Lucky explained. "I have my Wakeful Dose timed to go off when it's about 8pm at home so I can get back and be ready for school tomorrow without Portlag. Come on, I got a table for us already," she said and led them to a booth in the back. "Laura, if you're not used to American food, try gettin' breakfast or the fish and chips," she advised.

"If you say so," Laura said, sitting down. "The fish and chips sounds good, and I definitely feel like a fish out of water at the moment."

"I remember the feeling well," Severus said. "I felt the same way the first time I entered a New York cafe to find Jennifer all those years ago. How are the liver and onions here, Lucky?"

"Better than ours, not better than Rob's," Lucky shrugged.

"That'll do then..."

"You gonna tell us more about that first time you went into Kingler's?" Lucky asked, feeling as if he was attempting the change the subject.

"Perhaps after we order and you give me your report," Severus suggested, nodding to the waitress coming over.

"Good morning! Heading out to the Renfaire, are we?"

"Yeah, we don't wanna fight the parking," Lucky replied.

"I don't blame you, it fills up quick," the waitress agreed and took their orders. She returned quickly with their coffees and disappeared again. Severus made a gesture and frowned.

"A bit of a dampening field in here, isn't there?" Severus murmured.

"Yeah, all the casinos are like that... they aren't completely unaware of our kind... can't afford to be," Lucky explained.

"Is that how you got banned in Macao?"

"How in the hell did you hear about that?" Lucky scowled, but Severus was concentrating.

"There, a slight time distortion should do the trick," he decided, noting that Lucky folded her arms. "You explain first."

"They accused me of card counting," Lucky shrugged. "I wasn't doing it on purpose, it's just how my mind works, so I just stopped playing cards Everyone knows who I am in the country, so when I do play here, I just stick to the electronic stuff and walk away if I've won too much. If there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's restraint," she said dryly.

"Fair enough," Severus said, sounding unconcerned. "As to how I found about it, it was through one of Alex's sources, actually. And speaking of which... it's time to tell me what you found out, since that's the real reason I'm here in the first place."

"Oh, well you're hunch that Jeffers was here was right," Lucky said, Laura looking up from her coffee mug thoughtfully. "I found the local wizard hangout downtown. In the front, it's a tapas bar with a large game room full of all sorts of wizard games... strategy games and chance games alike so people stick around for awhile. Anyway, Judge Vallid cued me in to the fact there was a hidden speakeasy-style restaurant in the back... it's very upscale and private, and with prices I normally wouldn't bother with. Going there paid off though; someone matching his description who didn't even try to hide his accent sat at the bar for while, waiting to meet someone who had reservation in the wine room... you can't get in there without giving a name and credit card and all that. It was a party of four people... and although I don't know who the other two was in the party, the reservation was under someone named Rummert."

"Rummert," Severus repeated thoughtfully.

"Rummert... Malfoys' old lawyer? I thought he was missing and presumed dead," Laura replied. "Not to mention he must be pretty ancient by now, eighties or nineties at least."

"He's pretty spry if he is. I've been in that room and you have to manage a steep, narrow ladder to get down there," Lucky said.

"I'm sure they have alternative ways of allowing wizards traverse down there if need be... and I'm not entirely convinced yet it is the same man. Someone may have simply been using his name since he has been missing for so long," Severus conjectured.

"Right, true," Lucky said. "But if they are using Rummert's name, Jeffers knows who is doing it."

"Obviously," Severus agreed.

"But what if it was Rummert? Could he have been meeting Blake and Bowyer as well?" Laura asked.

"I dunno... I pretty much told you all I found out," Lucky said with a shrug. "Jeffers was the only one at the bar so the only one the regular staff could confirm was there. The people in the VIP room are really discreet so I couldn't confirm anything other than the reservation. I do know that it's not the first time that Rummert has had a reservation down there, but the regular staff couldn't tell me how often or anything like that... just that they've heard the name before and that he was stingy on the tips," Lucky smirked.

"How 'lucky' for us, considering they probably wouldn't have offered you so much information if he had," Severus noted. Lucky shrugged with a grin.

"I've got a reputation for tipping well. I know how the system works here in the U.S. and they depend on it, you know?"

"All too well, considering how many times Jennifer mentions it when she decides to work at our cafe for a while," Severus agreed. "I don't suppose you have any direct evidence that this reservation happened?"

"Not directly, no, but I'm sure it's on their computers, and we know that one of them has to have a credit card, which also means it's likely there's a Muggle bank account somewhere. I doubt they'd be using a credit gift card," Lucky said. "But I've really got to get back to school. You know this is my last year before grad school, right?"

"Yes, thanks... I assure you this is the last time until the winter holiday. I'll call in other favors," Severus assured her.

"Cool," Lucky said with a nod, turning to Laura. "So how have you been, Laura? I haven't heard much about you lately."

"Not much to tell," Laura said with a shrug. "I've been working."

"Get stuck with Dad as a partner?" Lucky teased.

"No, he's Mike's partner. I've got Rel as a partner... that's bad enough," Laura said. Lucky laughed outright, and Laura suddenly realized what she said. "No offense meant," she added, flustered.

"None taken," Severus said calmly, more interested in watching the plates coming toward them than her reaction. Laura stared at the size of the plates, waiting until their server had left before commenting.

"This is lunch?" Laura asked flatly.

"Portions are big here... these are modest compared to some I've seen," Lucky said, pouring syrup over her butterscotch pancakes. "Nobody'll blink if you ask for a box when you're done."

"Back to pancakes again, are we?" Severus asked critically.

"Intrigues make me hungry for sweets," Lucky said. "Besides, when you mentioned the cafe, it made me think back to when we met. You remember that?"

"As clear as yesterday," Severus agreed.

"Well, how well do you remember your first time eating at Kingler's?" Lucky prodded.

"Ah, yes, back to that," Severus acquiesced, since Lucky had given her report. "That happened after Jennifer was kidnapped, and while her captors were hard at work convincing her she was someone else entirely. It was too dangerous to pull her out until she had started questioning the lies that they had been feeding her, so I went to New York to check on her safety and assess the situation," he explained, noting that Laura seemed just as interested as Lucky did in the story.

"Feeling awkward would have been putting it mildly," Severus admitted. "I did have some previous exposure to the United States when I was young since my step-mother's family resided there, but my father had kept us in wizard's circles and I didn't often have to traverse the Muggle areas of the country. I did know the money system somewhat, fortunately... but their idea of acceptable tea, not to mention their idea of what pastry was, left much to be desired. Still, it could have tasted like cardboard for all I cared; that was where Jennifer was and that was where I was needed to be. Of course, it took me a while to actually realize that fact. I was having a great deal of trouble keeping my priorities straight at that point."

"Sounds like you had them straight to me," Lucky shrugged.

"Actually, no I didn't, because instead of spending all of my time helping Jennifer, I was going back and forth between New York and Hogwarts," Severus explained. "Headmaster Dumbledore had left on an extended holiday and I had been asked to take over during his absence. Because of that, I felt obligated to keep the school running smoothly at the same time that I was attempting to take care of Jennifer... using weekends and the time difference between our countries to try and keep up with both obligations."

"And just when did you sleep?" Lucky asked, shaking her head at him disapprovingly.

"I didn't much," Severus admitted.

"Well, it's not like that was your fault at all. Someone had to watch the castle while Dumbledore was away; it's obvious you were needed there as well," Laura said in support, a little annoyed but just how critical Lucky was about it. "I probably would have done the same thing."

"It was just a job," Severus said so stoically that Laura couldn't help but stare at him. "Dumbledore had warned me time and again to look after my family first. He had been more than a little worried that my priorities were eschew... and he had been correct. I should have handed my school responsibilities over to the faculty the moment that Jennifer was taken, and without a second thought. Jennifer would have done so... actually, Jennifer has repeatedly done so... time and again whenever she thought there was a crisis that called for it. But at the time, I felt the job needed me just as much as my family did. I was certain that no one else could do my job or take on the burdens I had taken upon myself. It was egotistical and foolish, really... I struggled for years coming to grips with the fact that it wasn't the job that needed me. At the time, it was I who needed the job. That is a very different position to take, but in the end, upon realizing that, I also learned to prioritize what is truly important; putting the needs of other people ahead of my own when a situation calls for it."

"I guess, but you can't possibly think that being Headmaster of Hogwarts is just a job. Not just anyone can do it," Laura said.

"Only a select few are capable of doing any job, Laura, I don't care what the job is," Severus said, pausing as the waitress filled their cups, then gesturing when she walked away. "I myself can think of many jobs I can't do. I'd make a terrible waiter, for example." Lucky laughed outright at that.

"A lot more people can do that job than can't. Truly, how many can you name who could sit in your chair if need be?" Laura challenged him.

"Off the top of my head, I can name ten... and three of them are already part of the faculty, namely Jennifer, Hermione, and Icarus... Lucky, don't you dare ever tell him I included him in that list," Severus warned, glaring at her smirking expression menacingly. "On top of which, even if someone inappropriate were put in that position, Hogwarts is quite capable of taking care of itself. Sometimes an institution can be its own entity; Hogwarts may fall off the rails now and again, but there will always be those willing to pick it up and put it back on the tracks."

"I'm not sure I share your faith in that last bit," Laura said, shaking her head.

"Yes, well, I just learned that lesson over the last couple of years, so I can't help you with that one," Severus admitted dryly.

"Who are the other seven who could do your job?" Laura asked.

"I'm sure you could guess... in fact, I'll pick up the tab if you can do it over desert," Severus offered.

"Do I get to help?" Lucky asked with open interest.

"Yes, but she must get at least three on her own," Severus decided.

"Take the bet," Lucky advised with a grin.

Laura, who hadn't originally intended to get any sort of desert, shrugged and accepted, waiting until everything they had ordered had been boxed up and their deserts had arrived before they started.

"Lucky, you start," Laura suggested.

"Merlin," Lucky said immediately, glad she picked a more lavish desert.

"Yes," Severus said, while Laura scrunched her nose when Lucky picked an obvious one. "Laura?"

"Harry Potter, not that he'd ever want it," Laura guessed.

"True, but it was about who was capable of doing it, not about who would want it," Severus reminded her. "That is two. Lucky?"

"Grandfather," Lucky answered.

"You know, by taking the easier ones, you are going to make it harder for Laura to get hers," Severus warned her.

"Good point," Lucky agreed, turning her attention to her coffee.

"Alexandria?" Laura asked.

"No, but you're warm," Severus hinted. Laura began wondering if another child was on it.

"How about Corey?" she asked. Severus looked thoughtful.

"He wasn't anyone who popped in my head," Severus admitted. "To be honest, I'd have to think about that one."

"I got it. Minerva McGonagall," Lucky said with a snap.

"Yes. Four down."

"Eric Dalance?" Laura suggested.

"You rather gave her that one, since you named a board member," Severus complained. Lucky grinned at that. "Five. Two left... one for each."

"Judge Vallid," Lucky offered.

"One left, and it must be Laura's guess," Severus said, pointing at her. Laura sighed.

"Andrew?" Laura asked. Severus immediately grimaced.

"Andrew has a great deal of learning to do before he can even get a raise in his current position, let alone any sort of promotion. In short, no, but still warm."

"But out of your children, that would only really leave Aurelius as a possible answer..."

"Is that your guess?" Severus asked for clarification.

"Yes, I suppose, but I'm not sure I could see him as a Headmaster," Laura explained.

"I can after this conversation... and that makes seven," Lucky reminded him.

"So it does," Severus agreed.

"What does this conversation have anything to do with his choice?" Laura asked her.

"Everything," Lucky shrugged. "You know he was the head of the Auror Department before Harry was, right?"

"Only because Malfoy refused to let Harry do it at that point," Laura reminded her. "Harry wasn't even allowed in the building."

"Yeah, but that isn't important. Rel still held that job, and it's not a job Harry would've taken from him even if he and Malfoy had been on speaking terms at that point. Rel resigned because Jackie needed him at the castle. He left because his family needed him and Hogwarts needed him. In fact, he stayed an extra year to teach Defense afterwards to help stabilize things at the school," Lucky said, Severus nodded in agreement. "Academically, Rel had perfect scores til the end, he has teaching experience, and has experience about how the rest of the world works. On top of that, he had his priorities straight long before Dad did. He may not seem all that friendly on the surface, but he does know how to deal with people. It makes perfect sense to me," Lucky said.

"Not only that, but you both managed to find all seven names before we've had time to do more than prepare out coffee to our liking," Severus said. "Headmaster or not, the job doesn't need me. Since the year of my supposed hiatus, I also realized that I don't even need the job. I am Headmaster because I can do the job and because I want the job... and right now, Hogwarts wants me. I shall stay until either of us feel differently."

"Well, what about you becoming an Auror? If you're happy with your own job, why are you doing this?" Laura asked.

"What exactly do you think this conversation was about, anyway?" Severus asked her with an exasperated sigh that did nothing but leave her quite baffled.

"I get it. You're doing it because you got your priorities straight," Lucky concluded, digging into her desert.

"Precisely," Severus agreed, doing the same.