Disclaimer: The Sentinel belongs to UPN/Paramount and Pet Fly Productions. Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling and Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended and no money has changed hands.
Warnings: Spoilers for Cypher, Sen2 and TSbyBS, as well as all four HP books. There's some paraphrased sections taken straight out of the fourth book in the form of flashbacks. Harry may seem a little out of character, but then, he has reason.
Author's notes: I read the first three Harry Potter books within days of each other, all in one stretch. It occurred to me at one point that Harry had very good cop instincts. Sometimes his conclusions were wrong, but he was always aware when something was off, something a detective would definitely need. I was already contemplating putting together a Sentinel crossover when I finally got the money together to buy the fourth book. And behold, Mad Eye Moody thinks the same thing! Glee assails me! Even if he did turn out to be the bad guy.
Here are a few things you'll need to know right off the bat. First, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was published in 2000, so that's the date I'm placing it at. The end of the Triwizard Tournament took place on June 24 of 2000. This story starts just one week later, July 1, in Cascade. Also, as the U. S. has a lot more people in it than Britain, I'm giving us more than just one school. Goblet of Fire mentioned the Salem Witches' Institute, and they should do for New England, but I think six or seven more schools would be a good idea, at the least. The Federal Bureau of Magical Affairs (FBMA) is America's answer to the British Ministry of Magic.
Part One!
A Matter of Magic, Part One
Ruth Canon was happy. She was lying safely in the arms of a man she had never thought she'd even consider, but who she had found to be one of the kindest and sweetest men she had ever met. He was most certainly the bravest. Detective Blair Sandburg had little more than a year ago thrown away his entire career as an anthropologist to keep his partner and friend, Detective Jim Ellison, alive and functioning as a cop. His friends in the Police Department had not taken that sacrifice lightly and had ensured him a place within their ranks. He had gone to the Police Academy and graduated top of his class.
Ruth was happy, but she knew she had a decision to make. She had met Blair in an herb shop on 6th Street. He had been after some cold remedies. She had been looking for the ingredients for a protection spell, a birthday present for a cousin of hers who was attending Hogwarts in England. Hermione Granger managed to get into a lot of trouble at the school, mostly because she was friends with the biggest trouble magnet that the institution had seen in centuries, Harry Potter. Blair had seen her straining to reach a box on the top shelf, and when it had overbalanced and tried to land on her head, he had caught it. The incident had led to coffee at the shop across the street, and coffee had led to their friendship. Then, just six weeks ago, that friendship had blossomed into romance. She felt as if she could do anything if this man was at her side, with or without her wand. But she had not yet told him about the wizarding world or her place in it. If she intended to make this a serious relationship, she would have to tell him, and she would have to introduce him to the Federal Bureau of Magical Affairs, and the Muggle Relations and Affairs Division.
Ruth was an auror, a detective witch whose job entailed defending the public against those who practiced the Dark Arts. Of course, Blair didn't know that. He didn't know any of it. She would have to ask him about his feelings before she felt comfortable revealing things to him. She decided that she would do it in the morning. Tomorrow was Saturday, so there would be plenty of time to deal with the aftermath of her revelations.
Blair watched as the sun came in through the window of his room, playing across Ruth's face and through her auburn locks, giving her an angelic glow that he thought only showed what was already inside of her. He had never been happier with a woman, not even Maya. His feelings were strong, marrying strong, and he thought he was ready. It had taken a lot of sneaking to get Ruth's ring size without her knowing it, but he'd done it, and bought a platinum diamond solitaire and a matching platinum band for his own hand. He was ready to ask her, but he needed to tell Jim first. He needed his partner to know about the possibility of such a momentous change in his life, and to know that it wouldn't change their relationship. He didn't think it would, but he wanted to be safe. Too many times, one of them had made a unilateral decision that had affected both of them and nearly wrecked their friendship. He wouldn't let that happen again.
Ruth had told him that she worked in a government job. She hadn't told him what it was, and when he'd asked, she'd said that she wasn't allowed to tell anyone. That had raised red flags with him and Jim in the beginning, before they'd started dating, so they'd taken her fingerprints off a water glass one night and run them through every database they could think of. She had come back as having a government salary, but the rest of it was classified. Blair smiled a bit as he remembered the confrontation Jim'd had with her. He had point-blank asked her if she was hanging around Blair as a part of her job and whether she was military or civilian. Blair had walked in on it and nearly had a fit, but she had just laughed. She had known that they would check her out, and she said that she understood, that cops were supposed to be suspicious. She'd said that she was a civilian, and would say nothing further on the matter, cheerfully and skillfully avoiding all further questions relating to her job. Blair had decided that he could live with it. As long as she wasn't with some group after Jim for his abilities, he could ignore her necessary secrets.
He would have liked to lie there and watch her sleep, to see her deep green eyes when she woke, but he wanted to talk to Jim this morning, before Ruth woke up. He wanted to ask her today, so he wanted to get things settled with Jim immediately. The smell of fresh coffee told him that his Sentinel was already awake, so he gently rose from the bed, careful not to wake his sleeping beauty, and pulled on a pair of boxers and a T-shirt, and then walked out into the living room. Jim gave him a general greeting, and Blair waved an acknowledgment at him before making a quick stop in the bathroom. As he came out and went to the kitchen, he pondered how to broach the subject on his mind. Finally, pouring a cup of coffee from the fresh pot, he just started. "Hey, Jim?"
"Yeah, Chief?"
"How do you feel about Ruth?"
Jim smiled behind his mug as he took a drink. "I think she's good for you. She hasn't once tried to kidnap you, drug you, or shoot you, and I've seen her apartment, so I don't think she's after your money." Ruth's apartment was twice as big as the loft and had only the most luxurious appointments. High end for a government salary, but still modest.
Blair glared at his roommate. "Jim, I'm serious. I'm starting to think..." He paused, suddenly nervous. What if Jim didn't think it was a good idea? Would he be forced to choose between them?
Jim suddenly realized what was going through his Guide's mind, and "serious" didn't begin to describe it. "Whoa, Chief. Are you thinking marriage here?" He was surprised. He'd never thought his partner would even consider settling down.
Blair flinched. "Yeah, I am. But I don't want this to cause any problems with you and me."
Jim then felt about three inches tall. "I didn't mean it to sound like that. I was just surprised. I don't guess I should have been. It's obvious how you feel about her. And don't worry about me. I think you two are great together."
Blair sighed heavily, relieved. "You know, we'll have to move out. I don't think you want to be hearing a pair of newlyweds at all hours." That last was said with a wiggle of his eyebrows and a grin.
Jim's own grin answered him. "Yeah. You want me to help you look for a place?"
"Actually, 204 downstairs is vacant. I was thinking of buying it. That way we'd be close enough to you to satisfy your Blessed Protector instincts and far enough away that we wouldn't intrude on your senses."
Jim sighed, obviously relieved. "That'd be perfect, but can you afford it?"
"I've got some money set aside. I should have enough for a down payment on a mortgage. I think the building manager wants $35,000 for it, and I have $5,000."
"Yeah. Have you asked her yet?"
Blair shook his head. "I wanted to talk to you first, just to make sure we were okay. Not that it would have stopped me from asking, but I wanted to be prepared, you know?"
Jim sighed, dropping his head. He hated that his past mistakes could have caused that kind of insecurity in his friend. "I'm sorry, Chief. You shouldn't have thought you had to get my approval. I'd never stand in your way with something like that." Jim's head popped up. "She's waking up. Tell you what, I'll go up stairs and give you two some privacy. Ask her, Chief. She makes you happy."
"Yeah, Jim, she does."
Ruth woke up slowly, feeling as though she should have gotten a lot more sleep. Then she remembered why she hadn't and a satisfied smile appeared on her face. A familiar voice above her asked, "What are you smiling about, beautiful?" She opened her eyes to see her love standing beside her. He sat his coffee cup on the nightstand and sat next to her on the bed.
"You."
"Oh, and here I thought I'd be inspiring silly grins." She giggled. "Yeah, like that." Then he leaned down and kissed her quickly. "Why don't you get up and dressed. I have something I want to show you."
Feeling slightly mischievous, she said, "Oh, I don't know if I can do that. You might have to help me."
He chuckled. "If I help you it won't be quick, will it?"
"Hmm, it might not at that."
"Go ahead. I'll have breakfast ready when you're done." Then he stood and pulled on a pair of jeans, then walked out of the bedroom. She watched him go. He had seemed nervous, not a lot, but enough to make her very curious. She wasted no time, therefore, in getting herself up and dressed, pulling on a sweatshirt and pants, and then leaving the room herself. Jim was nowhere in sight, probably still upstairs asleep. He would occasionally sleep in on the weekends, taking the free time to relax from the rigors of the job.
She took a deep breath, inhaling the scents of toast, eggs, and coffee. "Hmm." She walked into the kitchen and sat at the table, wondering just what was up with her favorite male on the planet. He served up her breakfast with orange juice and flair, and seemed to be trying to squelch the nerves she had detected earlier.
He addressed her with a butler's British accent and said, "Your breakfast, my Lady."
She giggled at him. "What's got you so giddy this morning?" Yeah, that was a good description, giddy.
He grinned. "I'll show you after breakfast." She tried to glare at him, but she couldn't make it stick. Breakfast was quickly finished and Blair got Ruth to go sit on the couch. "I'll be right back." Then he turned and went back into his bedroom to retrieve whatever it was he was so excited about.
Blair snagged the ring box from his shirt drawer where he had hidden it. The box itself was a small work of art, having been carved by a Navaho artisan about twenty years ago. Naomi had bought it when they had passed through the man's reservation town during their travels and given it to Blair with a turquoise bracelet in it. He'd had it fitted with a bit of velvet covered foam and set the platinum solitaire inside. Now he held the box behind his back in his right hand as he went back into the living room. He saw Ruth looking at him speculatively and closed his eyes for a moment, saying a tiny prayer to whoever might be listening and then opened them again and knelt on one knee in front of her. He pulled the box from behind his back, looked into her curious eyes, and opened the top of the box to reveal the ring to its intended wearer. "Ruth Canon, will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?"
Ruth stared at the offered symbol of eternity being held out to her along with the heart of the man in front of her. She couldn't believe it! She could finally have what she had wanted for so long. She sighed closing her eyes. No. She couldn't have it yet. First she had to tell him. "Blair, before I answer you, I need to tell you some things. You may want to rescind the offer." Blair opened his mouth in denial, but she put one finger to his lips to silence him. "This is not a no, Blair. I just want you to have all the information. I want you to know what you'll be getting yourself into." She closed the ring box and set it on the coffee table, then stood up. She went around Blair to go into the bedroom and retrieve those items that would help her to explain herself, her badge and her wand. The wand had a spell on it that allowed it to be mistaken by any Muggle who looked at it to be an ordinary, if beautiful, ball-point pen. It had fascinated Blair, who always saw the head of an owl at the end of the pen, and she had wondered why. He was the only one who ever saw it, but he had never seen past the full illusion. She had imagined that he had some wizard blood somewhere in him, but not enough talent to be sent to any of the seven wizarding schools in America.
As she sat back down, she handed Blair a thin black leather wallet. He opened it to reveal a badge and ID. The badge was unlike any other he had ever seen; a gold shield with a green lacquered dragon in the center and a banner across the bottom that said "Federal Bureau of Magical Affairs." The words "To Protect and Serve" were impressed across the top, and under that were the words "Auror, Detective First Class." The ID stated much the same, but the truly surprising thing about it was that the photo of her on the little card was moving, waving at the camera and at him. How was that possible? Magical Affairs? Auror? What was all this?
He didn't get the chance to actually voice the questions. Ruth was a smart girl, and a detective to boot, so she had no problem knowing what those questions would be. "I'm a witch, Blair. This is not a joke or a hoax. Every government in the world has an agency dedicated to the regulation of witches and wizards, the use of magic, magical creatures, and so forth. In the United States, that agency is the Federal Bureau of Magical Affairs. I'm an auror, which is a wizard or witch who enforces those laws concerning the Dark Arts and fights against their practitioners. I'm a cop, Blair, just like you, but I have a very different jurisdiction."
Blair's head was spinning. He didn't know what he had been expecting, but this certainly wasn't it. He knew, from his own experiences, that the everyday atheistic world did not hold every truth. He was a Shaman, and he'd seen a lot over the years. Hell, he'd been brought back from the dead! But this was a bit much. The woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with had just told him that there was an entirely different world out there, one where the laws of physics just didn't apply, and that she was a part of that world. It was a lot to think about. He needed more information. "What...How..?" Great! Now his much-vaunted gift of gab had deserted him!
She smiled slightly and quoted, "Are you always this articulate?" They had sat and watched Disney's "Hercules" just two nights ago after his Volvo giving up the ghost canceled their date plans of going to the symphony. Blair had enjoyed ranting about the blatant contradictions between the movie and the actual mythology, particularly howling over the fact that they'd made Hera into a loving mother when the original had been a conniving wench who couldn't stand to allow the offspring of her husband's affair with a mortal woman lead a happy life, and so had driven him mad, causing him to kill his wife and children. Ruth had enjoyed watching him as he lectured, hands flying everywhere, a sure danger to the popcorn bowl, and clearly in his element, even with a simple children's movie.
He snorted. "Right. Always. Ruth I want to believe you, and I'm well aware that there's more to this world than science says there is, but..."
"But you need proof, right? That's all right. I didn't expect you to just take what I said on faith. This is too big of a change in thought to do so." She picked up the "pen" in her hand and held it up, letting it lie flat on her palm. She focused her attention on the object and Blair felt something begin to build, like a weight. It wasn't a big one, like what she was doing didn't require a lot of effort, but it was similar to what he'd felt from Corinna Santiago when she had been channeling Oshun. He hadn't understood it then, that he could sense movements of power in the spirit world, but more recent cases had given him that insight thanks to his Shamanic abilities. This weight had a different "flavor" to it, earthier, like electricity. She said, "Patefacio!"
The pen, the one he'd admired so much for the beautiful carved owl's head at its end, began to shift and change shape, elongating until it was a simple round wooden wand with a short handle carved into it. Then she took it in her hand, and with a flick of her wrist, said, "Accio!" She had pointed the wand into the bedroom, and one of Blair's pillar candles came flying out. She caught it neatly in her left hand and sat it on the coffee table, then pointed her wand again and said, "Lumina inflammo." A small flame jumped from the tip of the wand to the wick, lighting the candle with little effort.
Blair knew his eyes had to be bugging out of his head. He knew that this wasn't an illusion or a trick. He could feel the power emanating from both the wand and Ruth. How could he have missed this?
He must have said it aloud, because she said, "There's no way you could have known, Blair. I've been very careful to not use magic around you, to keep up the illusion that I was a normal person."
"Why?"
Ruth took his hand. "It's international law that the wizarding world cannot become public knowledge. It has been ever since the fall of King Arthur. So much grief came from Merlin aligning himself with Uthur Pendragon that something had to be done, and the law enabled the early wizard government to punish Morgana and Morgan le Fey. No wizard may join any of the armed forces or take part in any armed conflict, and no Muggles other than those who are family to a witch or wizard may know about the wizard world. There have been other incidents that only fueled the need to keep the secret, such as Salem and the Inquisitions."
Blair sighed. Yeah, he could see the need to keep that kind of secret all too well. Visions of Lee Brackett and Norman Oliver danced around in his head. The secret that magic was real would have the same appeal to such men as the secret that Jim Ellison was a real Sentinel. Ruth continued. "The problem is that, over time, the wizard community has become very insular. Most wizards have never set foot outside of it, and know nothing of its current events. Even those who work in offices like Muggle Relations generally have no contact with Muggles other than to wipe out memories if one accidentally is witness to a bit of magic. Now, don't worry. That won't happen to you. I'll have to get a bit of paperwork done and get you exemption status and an ID, but the obliviators won't touch you."
Blair had started when she mentioned memory wipes. "What about Jim? He's my partner and I have no secrets from him." With Jim's sensory memory their spells might not work and he hated to think what they might do if their procedure wasn't successful.
Ruth smiled. "I'll get him set up, too. You two are so close, you're practically family anyway, so I think there shouldn't be any problem with it." She took a deep breath and continued. "I know you have questions. So go ahead and ask."
Blair thought for a moment. Did this change anything? Did this change who she was to him? Searching his heart, he didn't think so. "Yeah, I have a lot of questions, but there's one thing that I'm not going to question. I love you, Ruth. Nothing is going to change that, and I still want you to marry me."
Ruth smiled brilliantly. "There's nothing I want more!"
Blair's smile could have lit Cascade for a week. He picked the ring up off the table and slid it on to the ring finger of her left hand, then drew her close to him and into a passionate kiss. The kiss would have gone further, but there was a sudden tapping at the balcony window. They both looked up to see what it was, and Blair was shocked to see a tawny owl with an envelope in its beak tapping at the glass, for all the world looking like it was trying to get into the loft.
Ruth wasn't shocked. She was annoyed. "Damn! This had better be life-threatening important, or I'm going to strangle me an owl."
As she got up to open the balcony door, Blair cocked an eyebrow at her. "Friend of yours?"
She snorted. "Not exactly. Owls are the mail carriers in the wizard world. They're quite a bit smarter than the birds of the dove family, so they can be given more detailed instructions, not to mention that they can take on some spells better than other kinds of animals. Post owls have a spell put on them to enable them to find the addressee of a letter no matter where they are in the world. If this is Eric trying to get me to come in to work today, I'm going to tell him to stuff it!"
"Do you have any open cases right now?"
"Nothing that couldn't wait until Monday." She opened the door and the owl hopped into the air, dropping the letter precisely into Ruth's hands, and then sweeping silently into the loft to land on the back of the arm chair. Ruth looked at the envelope with interest. "Hogwarts? Why would they be sending me a letter?" She broke the wax seal and pulled out the letter, unfolding it as she sat back down on the couch. As she read it, her expression grew suddenly tense and then horrified. "Oh my God!"
She dropped the letter, shaking. Alarmed, Blair moved closer to her and wrapped his arm around her. "What? What is it?" He could feel her heart pounding through her back, so he wasn't surprised in the least when Jim came down the stairs. It had to sound like a jackhammer to the Sentinel. Blair looked back at him and looked significantly at the teapot in the kitchen. He nodded and went to put the kettle on to boil.
Ruth seemed to pull herself together just a bit, then picked up the letter where it had fallen on the ground. "Many years ago, in England, there was a dark wizard who called himself Lord Voldemort. He was the worst criminal the wizarding world had seen since Morgana. He was charismatic, so he had quite a large following. He also followed a 'Join me or die' policy, and he killed any who stood in his way. His group killed over a hundred Muggles before they were stopped, as well as quite a lot of wizards. They would torture people to the point of insanity and then let them go. They did so many terrible things! Voldemort could have taken over the world if he'd been given enough time, and Muggles would likely have been enslaved. Fortunately, he was finally defeated, and by an avenue that no one expected. He broke into the home of James and Lily Potter, intent on killing them and their year-old son, Harry. He killed James and Lilly, but when he turned his magic on Harry, something happened. The spell was somehow deflected, leaving the baby with only a lightening-shaped scar and leaving Voldemort so close to dead that most didn't think he would ever be a problem again. Turned out he had been living off of unicorn blood in the dark forest that surrounds Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where Harry was attending school. He nearly managed to come back that year, using the Sorcerer's Stone, but Harry stopped him and the Stone was destroyed. Apparently, though, this didn't completely stop Voldemort." She indicated the letter. "That's from Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster at Hogwarts. He didn't give me many details, but Voldemort has been resurrected somehow. He's already killed one student, and he nearly killed Harry, but the kid managed to defend himself. The British Minister of Magic is playing ostrich, so Dumbledore is taking the matter of protecting Harry into his own hands. He's asking me to go to England and help out."
Jim came around the couch, two cups of tea in hand, and handed one to Ruth. She looked up at him and could tell by his face that he had heard what they were talking about. He didn't make an issue of it, instead just going straight into cop mode. "So why is he contacting you personally instead of the Bureau?"
Deciding she'd ask how he'd heard everything later, she just raised an eyebrow at him and answered his question. "He wouldn't be able to do that. With the British Ministry ignoring the problem, there's no way he can involve the Bureau officially. If I tried to step onto British soil in an official capacity without either informing or involving the Ministry, I'd be deported so fast your head would spin, not to mention the possibility that it could spark an international incident." She sighed. "What a mess! I've got to figure out a reason to get myself to England without raising suspicions as to why I'm there. I need a legitimate reason."
Blair had seen the problem and was trying to think of a solution. "Didn't you tell me you have family over there?"
"Yes. In fact, my cousin, Hermione Granger, goes to school with Harry. They're in the same year."
Blair grinned. "Well, you definitely have something to tell them." He reached out and took her left hand, fingering the engagement ring. He knew that she was going. He knew that she had to help protect this boy, but it was going to hurt not having her around. Still, he couldn't ask her not to go. Neither of them would ever be able to forgive themselves if something happened and they had refused to help.
Ruth looked at him. "Are you okay with this?"
He sighed. "No. I want you here with me. But we both know that's not an option. No matter what your jurisdiction is, you're still a cop, still a warrior for the tribe, and you're called to fight. If you didn't go, you wouldn't be the woman I fell in love with." She nodded. Blair couldn't stand it any longer and pulled her into a kiss.
Jim turned away to give them some privacy, which lead him to look at the owl that was sitting patiently on the back of the armchair for a response. He could have sworn the animal winked at him. Maybe it had. From what Ruth had said, post owls were far more intelligent than their wild cousins, possibly enough to understand human relationships and body language. He wondered how many other surprises were in store for his partner and he when they were eventually fully introduced to the wizard world.
Ruth parked her car in the garage of the government building that housed the FBMA offices in Cascade and went to the small magically disguised doorway. There were two doorways, one normal that lead to a secretary who's job it was to deal with any Muggles who wondered into the building or Muggle officials, like building inspectors or police, and one which lead to the heart of the FBMA offices. She went to the end of the hallway and into the magic elevator, taking it to the fifth floor, which housed the auror division. The auror bullpen was a lot like the Major Crimes bullpen, rows of office desks, several detectives in suits working on their own cases. The only differences were in what was on the desks, and that was quite a difference. Ruth had only been to work once with Blair, picking him up for lunch one day, but she had been struck by the similarities between that office and her own.
She quickly went to the office at the back of the bullpen, the office of her Captain, Eric Swacky. She knocked and went in as soon as the voice inside said to. Eric Swacky was a tall man, with bright red hair and green eyes, and a build that showed he had played a lot of Quiditch in his time. He still did occasionally, and he made sure to keep his body fit. He was currently working on trying to adapt the Muggle coffee maker to work on a magic power source since electricity wouldn't work in the building above the second floor. He was as bad about coffee as any of the detectives at the CPD. He addressed her in his pleasant tenor, a voice that could darken in anger to frighten an evil wizard into fouling themselves. "What are you doing here on your day off, Canon? I thought you'd be dating that Muggle of yours. What was his name again?"
She grinned. "Blair Sandburg, sir. And I have a few things I need to discuss with you. First, the happy news. Blair proposed!"
Swacky grinned. "That's great, Ruth! I really think he's good for you. Not like that last creep you were dating, the one who worked with the Bigfeet in the Cascade Mountains. I thought you were going to rip his head off!"
She glared at him good naturedly. "Since when is it your job to police my love life?"
"It's not my job, just one of the perks. So what's the not-so-happy news?"
Ruth sobered quickly. "I just got an owl this morning from Albus Dumbledore. Voldemort is back."
Swacky paled. "Why wasn't I informed?"
"Apparently, thanks to some nasty tabloid reporting by Rita Skeeter, the British Minister is of the opinion that Harry Potter is mentally unstable and doesn't choose to believe his warning. I don't know why anyone ever pays heed to that woman! She always mis-quotes people!" She sighed. "Anyway, Dumbledore has asked me to go to England and help to protect the boy. With the Minister sticking his head in the sand, I won't be able to go in officially, but I have relatives over there, so I should be able to get into the country without any problems. After all, I do have a lot to tell them, and my cousin, Hermione, is in Harry's class. That kid is going to need all the support he can get. I don't know all the details, but apparently the psycho killed one of the students right in front of him. He's going to be traumatized, at the least, and from my cousin's descriptions, his Muggle family isn't going to be any kind of help."
"So what do you plan on doing?"
"I'm going to knock on the front door. I'll play FBI and pretend to question him about Sirius Black. If I can avoid any conflict with the Muggles I will, but the kid's safety is more important. I'll take him to my sister's house, let him stay with Hermione, maybe get the other best friend, Ron Weasly, to visit as well. That way, I'll be able to keep an eye on him without raising any suspicions."
Swacky nodded. "Sounds good. You have enough vacation days to leave for two months, and that should get him back to Hogwarts. Won't leave any for the wedding and honeymoon, though."
Ruth grinned at her boss. "Don't you worry about that! We haven't even set a date yet. You'll be coming, of course?"
The grin was easily returned. "Of course, Canon. Now get out of here! You're supposed to be off. Get the paperwork on your vacation filled out by tomorrow, then get your skinny butt to England."
As she left the office, she said, "My butt is NOT skinny!"
This is the end of part one. I didn't actually intend to post this in pieces, which is why the ending is so abrupt, but I haven't posted in so long, I just had to put something out. I thought the house elves were going to stage a rebellion! But it was just Peeves making noises. I'm thinking of feeding him to the jaguar.
Feedback, please!