If it wasn't enough that Lily had been looked over for the promotion, she was now under strict orders to train the newcomer. Her new boss. How was it that she somehow had the misfortune of having to train her new boss? How HR could've possibly thought his lack of industry knowledge made him in any way better suited for the Market Director role over her three years of hands-on knowledge was beyond Lily.
She glanced at the clock on the wall of her office. He was late. Lily rolled her eyes. She was an early bird and liked to get to the office early to settle in, but it was now fifteen minutes past nine, and the new Market Director was late. She didn't know much about him, only that he had a fancy graduate degree and a year of experience managing people in an industry that has nothing to do with what Gryffindor Consulting does. HR told Lily that she has better raw skill and they want to keep her on as an Associate; they didn't want to risk moving her to managing people and have some of their larger clients miss her. It still stung, but there was nothing she could do about it now. Her friends advised her to start applying to positions outside of Gryffindor since they wouldn't advance her career any further, but Lily hadn't quite decided on it yet. She really cared about her work, and she wanted to make sure the new Director was settled into his role before she left. She wouldn't want to leave her clients high and dry.
It was close to ten by the time the receptionist, Lindy, all but ran into her office. "Lily, did you know the new Director was starting today?"
"I did, Lindy," Lily said, "I mentioned it at the last staff meeting. Why, has he come in? I'm supposed to show him around the office."
"Oh, yes he came in, but he said he was meant to meet Umbridge first, so I directed him upstairs to her office."
Lily gritted her teeth. It was just like their HR representative, Umbridge, to not let her know what was going on. She was meant to meet the Director first and show him around, give him a run-down of their day-to-day and help him get started with his online onboarding. Lily thought Umbridge did it for the power trip. It was the same reason why she had "forgotten" to pass along the Director's name. Lily hadn't been able to bite back her pride enough to ask Umbridge outright, so she had just settled for referring to him as the Director in her head and to the rest of her office. She was worried about not knowing his name when meeting him, but it was a little late to ask Umbridge now.
"Did he introduce himself to you?" Lily asked Lindy, trying to be casual.
"Yes, but I haven't a clue what he said, I got completely lost in his eyes." Lindy looked like she was replaying the moment in her head.
Lily was taken aback, "Lindy! What's gotten into you?"
Lindy had the decency to blush. "I'm sorry, Lily, but you haven't seen him! He was like a model. I'm serious, looking that good shouldn't be allowed."
Lily didn't even know what to say. Lindy was airheaded on a good day, but she had never been unprofessional before. "Well, did he say what time he would be back down?"
Lindy had taken a seat on the edge of Lily's desk, clearly enjoying what she was perceiving as a gossip session. "No, he didn't mention. But I'm sure Umbridge will bring him back down here and show him around." She tilted her head. "Haven't you been single a while? Are you looking? This training business could be good grounds to connect."
Lily's jaw dropped. Like she needed an extra layer of tension while training her new boss. "Lindy! I really don't think it's appropriate to think like that."
Lindy stood up and teetered on her signature high heels, "Whatever you say, but wait until you meet him." She dragged out the last syllable as she made her way back out of Lily's office, turning to wink at Lily before she turned the corner.
Lily was floored. But she couldn't say she wasn't intrigued. What did this guy look like to pull such a reaction from Lindy? Sure, she was the social butterfly of the office, but she had never insinuated wanting to set Lily up with someone before. In fact, they had never spoken about their dating lives before. Lily examined her nails and wondered idly who told Lindy that she had been single for 'a while'. Lindy hadn't even worked here very long.
Shaking her head, Lily pulled her notepad with her priority list on it. Now that Umbridge had sunk her claws into the new hire, she needed to re-work her schedule, and try to get some things done before she had to meet the new Director.
It wasn't until well after lunch that Lily heard Umbridge's shrill voice at the front of the office. Umbridge had really taken her time with the new Director. Lily guessed she'd probably taken him out to lunch and everything. There were a couple nice restaurants around the office. She wished she'd gotten this type of treatment when she had started a couple years ago. She straightened the files she had open on her desk and quickly checked her makeup in a compact. She was not going to think about how Lindy had mentioned how he was 'like a model'.
"… and down this way is Evans' office." Lily heard Umbridge's voice saying, "She's the one I've been telling you about who will be training you."
Lily smiled as she stood up from her desk, straightening her blazer. She nodded at Umbridge when she walked in to view, and then felt her heart drop into her feet her as the man behind her walked in to view.
She knew that face.
Lily was going to fall over. She had leaned forward to shake hands and now she was off balance and was going to fall over.
"Lily Evans, this is James Potter, the new Market Director." She heard Umbridge say, somewhere far off, no longer on the same plane where Lily had ascended.
This could not be happening. Lily caught herself on her desk with the hand that was not outstretched and stumbled a step forward.
James looked equally shocked. The smile he had worn into the office had dropped off his face and he was staring at her with his eyebrows halfway up his forehead.
Umbridge looked back and forth between the two of them. She wasn't happy not understanding what was going on and cleared her throat.
This seemed to jolt James into action. He stepped forward and grasped Lily's hand, which had drifted down toward her desk. "Evans," he said, gruffly. "I didn't think…" he trailed off. Clearly not ready to share what he had started saying.
"James," she said, finally. She hated that it came out sounding breathless. She couldn't believe this was happening. James is here. James is the new Market Director of Gryffindor Consulting. James is her new boss. James, who had chased her year after year at their small boarding school up north. James, who had been a pain in her side, until he wasn't. James, who had been Head Boy to her Head Girl. James, who she had realized she had a crush on and then followed him to University. James, who she had danced around for a year. James, who had started dating someone else, Elyse, the day Lily had told herself she would tell him how she really felt. Instead, Lily had signed up to study abroad in the States for a year. Elyse, who he was still dating when she got back. Elyse, who he continued to date, even after Lily had finally come clean about her feelings, cornered one night by James. Elyse, who he kept dating after graduation. Elyse, who he told Lily he was going to marry.
Lily had gone home after that conversation and had found someone online to take over her lease. She had quit her job and moved to London the following week. It had just been too painful to continue being his friend. It had worked out, some of her other friends from school lived here and she was able to bunk with them until she had found her footing. She had gotten a job. Life had gone on.
But now he was suddenly, and without warning, back in her life.
He looked different. His shoulders were broader, his jaw more defined. His eyes looked a little wiser. But he was still the same James she had fallen for all those years ago. The James she had chosen first for years and years, who did not choose her in return. Lily pulled her hand away like she had been burned. That memory still hurt.
Umbridge cleared her throat again.
"Have you met before?" Umbridge asked, with a frown on her face.
"Yes, University." Lily answered at the same time James said, "From secondary school."
Lily laughed under her breath. "James is right, we met first at secondary school." She caught his eye. "How could I forget?"
Umbridge looked even more displeased, if that was possible. "I didn't know you attended Hogwarts, Evans."
Lily was unsurprised that she apparently knew where James went to secondary school and even more unsurprised Umbridge had judged her as not good enough to attend the prestigious boarding school in Scotland.
She gave Umbridge a tight-lipped smile, "Yes, I guess we've never talked about it before." Lily gave her a significant look. "Well, you two better continue your tour. I don't want to eat up too much time." She turned to James, who's surprised expression combined with his messy hair gave him the air of someone who had recently been electrocuted. "If you want to get started on the online on-boarding after Umbridge has completed your tour, I can send you a meeting invite to start going over job-specific duties tomorrow. I don't want to overload you on your first day."
James nodded hollowly. She wondered what he was thinking. Did he think she looked different? Good, different? Was he still dating Elyse?
They must've been standing there, staring at each other for too long because Umbridge stepped in front of James to get his attention. Lily realized belatedly that she had said his name more than once.
"Let's continue the tour." Umbridge said to James, stepping around him all the way to the far side of door to usher him out.
James nodded, like he was in a trance. "I'll see you, Lily."
"Yes." She said, not able to think of anything more.
"Tomorrow." He said, like he was worried she might disappear forever when he walked out the door.
Lily nodded and raised a hand in goodbye. She felt like she was on autopilot. He turned and walked out her office door, Umbridge behind him, starting on introductions for the office next to hers, and Lily collapsed into her desk chair. She sat there, staring listlessly at her empty door until someone came running through it.
"So, what do you think of Potter?" Lindy asked, perching herself once again on the edge of Lily's desk.
Lily turned to her woodenly, "I'm thinking that you and I need to sample the happy hour scene around here."
Lindy fell off the desk.