Just Another Job

jms granger

Rating: PG13
Genres: Drama, Humor
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 6
Published: 30/03/2006
Last Updated: 13/04/2006
Status: in_progress

Joel Fielding – In his head he’s living like his spy novels, battling the rise of the Death Eaters. In reality he's a man who accidentally ends up working for Lord Voldemort against the Order of the Phoenix. Sophie Wolfe – Pretty, talented and slightly nuts, also working for the Dark Lord. Mr. Pettigrew – Balding. Follow Joel through his first year out of his anonymity of Hogwarts and into the high pressure stakes of his new 'career'. But when will he realize the truth? That this isn’t just another job…

Chapters

1. Just Another Interview

2. Just Another First Day

3. Just Another Moving Day

4. Just Another Employee

1. Just Another Interview

Just Another Job

Disclaimer: Dude, do you really think I'm JK Rowling?

Chapter One: Just Another Interview

`Hopefully you'll get that job…' his mother said, seemingly on the brink of tears. He just looked down at the cereal in front of him, pretending that he was checking to see if it was still there. He glanced up quickly to see water forming in his mothers eyes.

`Bout bloody time, if you ask me!' his father said gruffly over the newspaper he was reading, he was sure he heard his father mumble `layabout' under his breathe but chose to pretend he hadn't. For the last couple months he had heard nothing but these kinds of comments, and constantly wondered when his parents would realize that taking a bit of time to get a job wasn't the end of the world.

`It'd be the end of the world if you actually managed to get one, though' his father said while getting up and putting on his robe for his day at work. He could feel his blood pressure rising as he fought the urge to scream and argue, not that it would get him anywhere `I'm always telling you, you gotta smarten up boy, be a bit more humbly!'

`I hardly go in there pretending to be a prince' he snapped back moodily, his father always had the ability to push his buttons, and watching his father straighten his hat like his life depended on it both depressed and angered him, even though he wasn't entirely sure why.

`It's all this graduating nonsense that you always bring up…' his dad said knowingly, like graduating from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was a sin people usually tried to keep hidden `Down at the Nimbus factory I don't know a single person with NEWTS' he sneered, like the word was an insult.

`And look at them all now!' he said standing up, a little more aggressively than he had meant to `working in a factory, they'll be able to brag about that for years to come!'

`At least they can afford to look after themselves, not sit there scrounging of their parents!' his dad spat back, not exactly nastily, but like it was a fact that he wanted his son to grasp.

`So I should go to work in a dead end factory job for the rest of my life instead of taking a few months to look for something I'll enjoy?' he almost shouted back at his father, but he knew his father, a job was a job in his opinion and he wouldn't be more proud if he became a healer than a factory worker, as long as he was supporting himself.

`Please don't!' his mother sobbed out, making him catch the words forming on his tongue. His father looked in mild disgust at his wife before buttoning up his jacket and walking towards the door.

`I don't have time to do this, some people have a job and can't sit on their arse all day' he said and with a slam of the door he left him and his mother alone, not a situation he enjoyed.

`You will try to get this one, wont you?' she asked softly, almost like a whisper, with a manic look that suggested she kept her voice low because she believed if someone over heard then it might be gone.

`I do try!' he sighed exasperated, but looking at the fear and hope in his mothers eyes he calmed himself `I promise I'll give it my all, and by the time I come home I will have a job' and with a kiss on his mothers cheek he stood up and bounded towards the door, the intention of keeping that promise coursing through his mind.

*

He was sat on a chair, blood pumping through his body in a way that only interviews and Quidditch had ever been able to bring out in him. Beyond that door, where he would be sitting in less than five minutes, were three people who would decide whether he would hear taunts from his father all weekend and tears from his mother, or would allow him to escape them and maybe live a normal, happy, life.

Running over advice from Professor McGonagall while he was doing interview practice at school he started to think of the difficult times they were all in. A new war had started with many casualties on either side, and he had nowhere to stand between the conflict. He was never very popular and usually just blended in with the scenery. All he did was study, have a few friends, and play as a chaser for Hufflepuff where he usually lost and was hardly noticed. His major moments at school had often evolved around others achievements, and to be honest he really meant Cedric Diggorys', that poor boy who died back in his fifth year. Cedric was a good man and even sometimes said hi to him. He felt weird because he missed him, even though no stretch of the imagination could make him think they were in anyway close. If he was honest with himself, which was one thing he was good at, he often looked up to Cedric, how he kept himself to himself but somehow ended up popular. Actually he ended up dead, he reminded himself, and that was a bit of a turn off.

`Mr. Fielding, they are ready for you now' the secretary from behind the desk said, as he flashed her an appreciating smile he stood up and made his way through the door to the interview room. The first thing that struck him was how pristine the room was, almost like a healer's surgery with the clean white walls and furniture. He mentally shook his head, he knew he had a problem where he often didn't notice people, or what was happening around him, McGonagall had yelled at him once for `sleepwalking through class'. He often thought how right she had been, but not just through class, he practically sleep walked through life.

He noticed the three people stood in front of him and smiled at each, Their was a short plump man, with somewhat rat like features, a woman who somehow looked both beautiful and bedraggled, like she hadn't slept for well for a decade, and the third was-

`Professor?' He said shaking the mans hand.

`That's ok, Mr. Fielding, Mr. Snape will do for now' Mr. Snape said nicely to him. Mr. Snape had been his potions teacher, a lesson he was rather good at due to the fact that the slower pace suited him perfectly. He had heard many bad things about Mr. Snape but had never seen him act anything other than the perfect gentlemen, although he had to admit he rarely took too much notice of how the teachers acted. He shook the other twos hands and took a seat.

`Pro…I mean Mr. Snape, how come you left Hogwarts?' he asked curiously, slamming himself for such an unusual change in his personality, now was not the time to be outspoken. He heard his Father say `Humble' in his head.

`You two know each other?' the woman said excitedly, a slight manic gleam in her eyes. He knew she wasn't exactly a full picnic when he looked at her. Although for his whole life people had thought that he was a little distant, he knew he could read people very well, and was rarely ever wrong from his first impressions. He often thought about this and believed that, perhaps, he was so distant and aloof because he could so easily see through people, that listening to their tired lies bored him so much that he preferred not to listen or pay attention in the first place.

`Yes, Mrs. Lestrange, I was his Professor at Hogwarts' Mr. Snape said smoothly `Mr. Fielding, what did you achieve for your finals in potions? I expected you to get an outstanding'

`Oh, I did sir' he said proudly, he knew enough to know that outstanding was very good. He watched as Snape nodded, the other man looked wide eyed and impressed while the woman looked slightly bored `and I received an exceeds expectations in defence…' he started before Snape cut him off.

`I know your marks, I just wanted to hear your potion from you…' he said softly `Many people…do not tell the truth…on their applications' as soon as he finished he realized that Snape must have been using Legillemens while asking.

`Snape is a stickler for qualifications!' Mrs' Lestrange laughed out.

`Yeah, like it matters!' the other man said before a look Snape gave made him be silent.

`Pettigrew, you finally spoke…' Snape said with mock surprise `Only took you to the sixth interview…but well done!' Mr. Pettigrew had now turned bright red, and he felt sorry for the balding wizard. Bellatrix laughed out loud instantly and Snape tried to hide a grin.

`Pettigrew, you know he refers to you as the balding one?' Mrs. Lestrange said laughing, obviously she was a great Ligellimens as well as Snape and was using it for the interview. He felt himself get depressed, knowing that Mr. Pettigrew wouldn't want to hire him now `Although you're not to worry, Pettigrew here doesn't have a choice on who's hired!' he felt sorry for the baldi… for Mr. Pettigrew again, he knew how it was to have no real importance in his world, and where he found anonymity Pettigrew had obviously found taunting.

`How about we start the interview now? Mrs. Lestrange?' Snape said softly, she nodded her acceptance before shifting to get comfortable, neither one of them bothered to ask Mr. Pettigrew `So, firstly, are there any questions you wish to ask about the job description?' he thought for a moment before deciding he might as well ask the question that had been bothering him as they would probably be able to find out anyway, he had always been very weak at Occlumency.

`Well…the job said it was for a business concerned with security? What exactly is the business?' he asked, which Snape nodded at, obviously asking this question had been a good choice.

`Well, we're a division of a larger company, but that doesn't matter too much to this branch' he started, Mrs. Lestrange was eyeing him curiously `here we deal with law breakers, people who need to be rounded up to protect normal civilians from their influences. This can take many forms, information retrieval and interpretation, preparing of certain potions, veritaserum for instance is very important to us, as well as the actual apprehension and consequent holding of suspects'

`Right…' he said while thinking to himself, this sounded very much like the FBI storied his muggle born girlfriend in 6th year had made him read, storied he had become addicted to with their quick plot twists and secret service spies.

`Precisely' Mrs. Lestrange said with a smile `We're similar to a secret service. What word do you believe to be the key to that title? Secret service' he thought for a moment as Mrs. Lestrage and Mr. Snape both scribbled something down onto their notepad, recalling the escapades of a certain spy who often defeated the Russians.

`I'd have to say the secret part' he said semi confidently, watching for a glimmer of acceptance from any of the interviewees `Because although we're a service which does help society and all, we wouldn't be able to do…it…if we weren't…um… secret' he felt his leg starting to shake slightly as the nerves started to get to him, but it soon stopped as Mr. Snape and Mrs. Lestrange both smiled.

`We already know about your qualifications, and they are good, but what extra qualities do you think you posses that would be of a benefit to us?' Snape asked looking up from his notepad. He knew he wouldn't be able to lie on this one, saying the usual answer of `good team player and great motivation' that had become his standard answer as Snape already knew him, and they were very impressive Legillemens.

`Well… I think that I would bring a certain patience to the job… a lot of people, I think, are too quick and…um…they always try to get the job done as quickly as possible, to try and get credit for taking less time…' he said his leg shaking slightly again as they looked upon him curiously `…they make mistakes from being rash, while I prefer to get it right the first time, even if I'm not necessarily the quickest. Quality over quantity…' he wasn't sure how this was going, but there was no point in lying, they would know too quickly if he did `and I never give anything less than 100%, because…er… I don't believe in doing a half job, there's no satisfaction in doing something badly, whatever the job may be.

He crossed his feet in order to stop him from nervously shaking his right leg, a nervous tick he had always had and which sometimes meant he looked less than perfect on a broom. They were scribbling something down quickly onto a piece their notepads.

`If we were to ask your references for 3 words to describe you, what do you think they'd say?' Mrs. Lestrange asked enquiringly.

`You could ask him yourself…' he said indicating Mr. Snape in an attempt at being slightly humorous, all three of them chuckled slightly at this.

`Only good things, I assure you…' Mr. Snape said laughing slightly `Let me give you a choice, a role-play… What would you do if your information helped to convict a person for, say, murder. But, as you well know with people, the man claimed to be innocent, and that we were the ones in the wrong, and he was very abusive and violent with you'.

`Well…' the question was a difficult one, thinking of his spy novels, and the way the bad guys always acted, like they were somehow the saviours, and the violence could be so horrendous at times that he would often have to skip whole pages `…Well… I would listen to them at first, I find a lot of people will calm down if you patiently let them vent at you, but I guess if they carried on I'd have to stun them…nothing too serious or strong, I don't believe my job would have any more power than a simple stunning spell. And while they were out I'd call security, they'd be trained to deal with that kind of situation better than I could'. He could tell by the smile on their faces that something he had just said had pressed the right buttons, he felt he stood a good chance at actually getting this job.

`I have a question' Mrs. Lestrange spoke up pointedly `we are a completely separate organisation to many, such as most branches at the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts, and because of this we have no jurisdiction over them and they have none over us. Unfortunately this, clash, of legitimacy produces…problems…for us and we try and distance ourselves from both, and they do from us. The point is we work very hard to separate us, and this job is not only a career but also a life. Thus we need to know what ties you have with either organisation' he sat listening to her words, thinking them over. They made sense to him, there was never any contact between the spies he read about and the ordinary police, it would have been a conflict of interest, very sensible of them he decided.

`Well, as you know, I went to Hogwarts, first in my family to graduate. I don't keep in contact with anyone from there really, sometimes I bump into some friends, but really I just keep myself to myself' he explained, maybe over exaggerating a little by saying he sometimes saw his old friends when in fact he hadn't since the Hogwarts Express `And my father works in the Nimbus Factory, like his father before him and his father before him. My mothers' family is much the same. The last time my family had any contact with either must have been centuries ago… so, no, there isn't any contact, and definitely no conflict of interests' he finished, pleased with himself for using the term conflict of interests. They were all smiling at him now, and he thought he might have done enough to get the job.

`You're definitely close to it!' Mrs. Lestrange said obviously reading his thoughts `but we still have someone else to interview…' and with that she stood up followed by Mr. Snape. Mr. Pettigrew stayed seated and a little depressed at the news they still had to do more of this.

`It's good to see you, Mr. Fielding' Mr Snape said taking his hand `Expect to hear from us in the next couple hours'

`It's been a pleasure' Mrs. Lestrange said giving him a farewell kiss on the cheek, before moving him softly towards the door with her arm on his back.

`Thank you all for your time' he said before exiting, a feeling of elation in his heart as he believed that he could of got this job. He almost skipped out into the sun as he left the building.

*

`Hey mum' he said swooping down upon his mother with a kiss on the cheek.

`So? Did you get it?' she said fearfully, her eyes trembling as she surveyed him, like he would look different if he had a job.

`I think so…' he said brightly, taking a bite out of the apple he had just picked up, the fresh taste in his mouth making him smile `Their gonna send an owl soon'

`Did I hear right?' his father said entering the room `You think you got it?'

`Yep. Interview went well enough' he said, looking at his dad who seemed overjoyed.

`Dam right son!' he said proudly `knew you could do it!' he felt his heart wane as he considered the fact that he hadn't yet got it. How would his father take it if he didn't actually get it?

`Well…it went well… but…' he stumbled, his father looking sharply at him in suspicion `I mean, it went well, but I am only 17, maybe they'll want someone a bit older?'

`Nah!' his dad rolled his eyes `These big businesses want the youth, the next Crouches and Dumbledores! They'll have you pegged for doing great things, trust me! I aint been wrong yet!'

He sat down nervously, helping himself to a cup of coffee, had the interview really gone as well as he had thought, or had he just judged it wrong, took their nods as agreeing instead of them just being pleasant? The coffee was feeling foul in his mouth, bitter, as he tried to stop the thoughts from happening. Suddenly he felt something being brushed in his face, and looking up he realized an entirely black owl was standing in front of him, annoyed at having been made to wait. He noticed the letter and withdrew it from the bird, which pecked at his hand aggressively before flying of. He held the letter in his hand, too nervous to realize that he should open it.

`Go on, my son' his father said encouragingly, a look of triumph already across his face.

He opened the envelope and uncurled the letter, taking a deep breathe before reading the contents.

Dear Mr. Fielding,

Thank you for your application and for your interview today and we are pleased to offer you the post of Administration Assistant. Please come along to 36 Enigma Drive, London on Monday morning to start work. Your contract and living arrangements will be organized for when you arrive. Hope you enjoy yourself till then.

Yours Sincerely

L . V

He stood still for a moment in shock, his heart threatening to come out of this chest. The whole room was silent, his parents holding their breathes waiting for his answer.

`I GOT IT!' he screamed in joy, and immediately felt his mother throw herself into a hug, his father patting him roughly on the back in happiness.

`Well done, my baby boy!' his mother said between tears of joy, kissing him all over his face in excitement. His chest was now at breaking point, he had never seen his parents proud before, and the feeling was elating.

`Now you're a man, Joel' his father said to him, and Joel sure as hell felt like one! Now he knew he must achieve with this job, the job that has become a connection with his parents, the job that has turned his life into something good…

*

So that's chapter one, let me know what you think. And before you ask, Harry and Hermione, as well as all the cast, will be in this story…you'll just have to wait for it…

Please review…

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2. Just Another First Day

Disclaimer: Dude, Harry Potter ain't even the main character! So not Jk Rowling like!

Just Another First Day

Joel popped out of the fire, his head and stomach both spinning from the Floo Powder, a way of travelling he never liked much. All weekend he had been relaxing, his thoughts drifting between his new job and the bliss of nothingness. Remembering how proud his father was, and how worried his mother was, he looked around the room in purposeful determination, seeing Tom the old barkeep he gave a small nod and made his way towards the door. He had always liked the Leaky cauldron, the dark and anonymity of the place suited him perfectly, and on most of his trips to London with his parents he would sit in here for hours, just sitting in silence as he watched the world go by. Naturally his parents thought he was off meeting his friends, and was teased by his father that he was with a girl, but that was never the case, he just enjoyed being alone in a place so busy.

He felt a tap on his shoulder, he thought it might have been the first one but he wasn't sure, he had been off in his head again and for all he knew the person might have been trying to get his attention for the last minute, longer even. Turning around he instantly noticed the person stood in front of him, a girl he had worked with in potions at Hogwarts in year 7, Sophie Wolfe.

`Bout time you realized!' she said brightly, her eyes doing the smiling for her mouth `So what are you doing here, Joel?' she asked curiously, eyeing him with puzzlement. Sophie knew him more than most out of the people at Hogwarts, and thus didn't expect to see him dressed up walking through the Leaky Cauldron on a Monday morning.

`Got myself a Job' he stated shrugging, mildly surprised that Sophie had remembered his name `What are you doing here?' she was never the most punctual of people at Hogwarts, especially in the mornings.

`Same as you' she said brightly, shaking her head slightly leaving the puzzlement behind and seeming happy `Shall we get the work talk over with first, like real adults?' she said cheekily flashing him a mischievous smile, Joel thought for a moment and thought that was a good idea, even though he couldn't think what a second conversation could be about, so he nodded `Good! I've got a job at a security firm, you know potions and stuff… cant really talk too much about it' Joel tried to work out if it was just a coincidence that they started work on the same day, seemingly at the same place, and realized that the job must have needed two people.

`Is it at Enigma Drive?' he asked, her eyes shot him a suspicious glance, and he was sure that he noticed her hand moving slightly towards her wand. He reasoned that, being a Slithering and all, she did have problems with suspicion and things, and if he was right about her job then she had a right to be. He wished he was a little more paranoid like her, it would probably be for the better.

`Yeah…how did you know that?' she asked, her hand was almost on her wand now, clever girl she was being ready in case anything went wrong like they so often did in his spy novels, obviously this job meant a lot to her just like it did for him.

`I'm working there too!' he said brightly, it would be good to know someone at his new job `took the interview Friday and starting today'

`Really?' she said, her eyes wide with shock, she must be finding it as strange as him, he reasoned.

`Yep… how strange is it that Mr. Snape is one of our bosses!' he said, trying to bring a bit of normality back to her. He watched as her eyes moved quickly over him, trying to take in this new information, he watched as she scrunched up her big green eyes like she was checking she was actually awake before opening them again with a look of wonder and happiness filling them. Laughing she took him by the arm and led him towards the door, light laughter coming from her the whole time.

As they left the pub, Joel being led by Sophie, he looked around at all the muggles making their way too work. Being a full blooded wizard he was always surprised at the muggle world, how they were able to do the most complex of things without magic. He noticed as a man left his `automobile' and closing the door behind him before clicking a small button on his keys to put the `alarm' on. God, muggles were fascinating he thought to himself, he use to love muggle studies at Hogwarts.

`I had no idea you were the kind of wizard for this job!' Sophie said, still chuckling to herself as she led him down another road. He had to agree with her, out of a list of possible jobs he could have seen himself doing, working in a security company was very low on the list. And no one he knew would ever believe that he would be working for the war effort, that he was working for a `secret service' of sorts, just like those novels.

`Well its something I believe in, we can't let them win this war can we? Other wise where would our kind be?' he stated confidently, remembering his third year when the chamber of secrets had been opened and the muggle borns were being attacked, he couldn't understand how people could hate them for nothing.

`Exactly!' she exclaimed excitedly `dirty disgraces to the name of wizards!' Joel shifted to his side to avoid a `lamppost' as they made their way down a small back street. He was a little surprised that she felt so strongly against the dark wizard, he knew she was a good person and all, but he wasn't so distant from things at Hogwarts that he didn't realize what people said about the Slytherins. They all seemed very wrong now, Sophie seemed to be passionate and truthful about her hatred, and Snape was the boss against them. Slytherins, so far, seemed to be the only people he had seen actually doing something to stop you-know-who, although he had to concede he hadn't noticed too much of what had actually been going on so far.

`Yeah…so what's your job title?' he asked, shooting her a sideways glance, seeing that she was concentrating on where she was leading him.

`Administration Assistant' she said, edging the pair of them between a fat muggle woman who was seemingly shouting orders at a dog `Didn't know they were taking on two people for it, though…' she said deep in contemplation.

`Me neither' he said smiling, as he found that surprise quite pleasant `but it does make sense, I mean we don't want…people…like the ministry or whatever… finding out, and we haven't even signed our contract yet!' she thought for a moment and then laughed out loud, pulling him low under a ladder as they carried on their march.

`You are full of surprises, aren't you Joel?' she asked teasingly, giving him a funny look `I always thought you were just some dippy Hufflepuff!'

`You were probably right…' he agreed, accepting that he usually did fill that title pretty well. His acceptance made her laugh even more though, and give his arm a little squeeze.

`We're nearly there now' she said stopping her laughter and looking back to where she was leading them.

`Where is that?' he asked, he realized he didn't know where she was leading him too, and for what purpose, he was surely going to have to practice being more security conscious in future. She, though, let out a little laugh and stopped outside a large building, spotlessly white and looking a bit like some muggle offices he had seen in one of his text books.

`Work, silly' she said, letting go of his arm and walking fast towards the door. He paused for a moment to have a better look at his new job, the building did look a scarily lot like that textbook picture, except that all the windows were tinted black which he knew must be for security reasons, but nonetheless gave the building a bit of a gloomy look.

He jogged slightly to catch up with her, and walked through the main doors at the same time, both taking in the excitement of their new lives working for the war effort.

*

As he sat in his office, slowly cutting up root of asphodel, he let his mind wander to what had already happened. He had been met by Mr. Pettigrew at reception and him and Sophie had been led to his office, all red and gold but with a little too much black to make it comfortable. He was slightly disappointed to see how well Mr. Pettigrew and Sophie got on at first, while he was left without even a handshake. But fortunately at the same time as Mr. Pettigrew was making a particularly lame joke about the state of bezoars and goats, Joel noticed that Mr. Pettigrew had actually gotten a hairpiece, and couldn't help his laughter as he thought that maybe his thoughts had made this happen, and the fact that it was an atrociously tacky hair piece made him laugh even louder. Fortunately Mr. Pettigrew took this as him laughing at his joke and brightened up towards him, shaking his hand before giving both of them their contracts. Joel knew that he should read the contract but when he did he noticed the words instantly slipping from his mind, so he just signed it anyway and handed it straight back to him. Sophie had done the same, which earned some sexist joke from Mr. Pettigrew about getting `straight to business', and while Sophie laughed at this to him, behind his back she pretended to gag to Joel, making him break out in laughter, strangely enough just at the right time to make it look like he had laughed at another of Mr. Pettigrew's' lame jokes.

Mr. Pettigrew took them to another room, obviously used for potion brewing and the such as there were many cauldrons and strange contraptions on the wall. He chuckled slightly as he thought how similar some of these looked to torture equipment that muggles had come up, muggles often got the magical world wrong, although he had to wonder how they knew what these things looked like even though they were wrong about there uses. Here they were told that their formal training would have to wait, Mr. Snape and Mrs. Bellatrix were away on a mission of great importance, but that there was a lot of Veritaserum in demand and that they should take a cauldron and Pettigrew would show them the store room, and then take them to their individual offices. Joel's heart both jumped and sighed at hearing this, he wasn't going to be working directly with Sophie all day, but on the plus side he actually had his OWN office. He couldn't wait to tell his parents, his mother would cry her heart out, although she'd probably do that anyway.

So here he was now, in his own office making Veritaserum. He looked around his office, thinking of what he might do to brighten it up. He decided that some photos were in order, and a few posters of Puddlemere United would be nice. Maybe he'd be allowed to bring in his own chair, a more comfortable one which he could rest in while he waited for the next step in his potion making. He wondered what Sophie would do with her room, probably something a bit gothic. He had once thought that her slight gothic craze was a little spooky, but now he realized that having your dorms in the basement like the Slytherins' did was bound to rub of on you, and at least Sophie still seemed to like some bright colour, just also liking to wear black with it. He tried to think hard and remember who she had gone with to the Christmas ball in fifth year but found that he couldn't remember. That evening he had gone with Kate McBride and had been so nervous about messing it up that he had messed it up anyway. He forgot how he messed it up, probably just by being himself. But the more he thought about it the more confused he was, but why was he spending so much time thinking about her…probably best not to dwell on these thoughts.

`Thinking bout me?' the words brought him back out of his mind, panicking slightly his first reaction was to look at his watch, he was lucky, it was just the right time to add the Asphodel to the potion, which he instantly did. Looking up he saw Sophie standing in the doorway, giving him a smile.

`Oh, hi Sophie' he blundered `Coming in?'

`Nope' she said simply, shaking her head ever so slightly from one side to the other, her loose golden blonde hair shaking back and forth `You come out, it's lunch break' she said nicely. He looked at his watch and realized that it was already one o' clock.

`Time does fly…' he said getting up and putting on his jacket, before walking over to her `So where to?'

`Its London, Joel, there's a hundred restaurants and cafes…lets have a little adventure!' she said, her green eyes brightening up with an excited gleam. And with that she took him by the arm and pulled him through the doors.

*

`So, how about we be adults for, say, 5 minutes, then we can have some fun?' she asked, and Joel was amazed at how often the mischievous glint could appear in someone's eyes so often without causing some sort of permanent retina damage.

`Sounds good' he replied, thinking desperately for something adult-like to say, he wanted a new suave confidence to match his job, but had found himself lacking a little `How's the Veritaserum coming along?' he shook himself for a poor attempt.

`Good, I guess…' she said distracted, before leaning in like she was to share a conspiracy `What a pervert that Pettigrew is!' Joel looked at her incredulously and she smirked `Ok Ok, I know I said we were going to be adults for five minutes, but your riveting Veritaserum line was enough to prove me wrong!' she teased, making Joel laugh, and get comfortable.

`Yeah, Pettigrew was all over you, a little disappointed I didn't get the attention though!' he said mock upset making her laugh `His chubby hand on my leg would of made my day!' now Sophie was laughing out loud, Joel could tell she was imagining Pettigrew feeling him up.

`I think he likes us blondes!' she said with a flick of her hair `Could you believe his wig?' she said laughing, looking up at the ceiling of the café like it was a film of it up there. Joel laughed and told her the story about what he was thinking and what Mrs. Lestrange had said, Sophie was almost crying through tears.

`So that's …what your… laughter was for?' Sophie said between catching her breathe, which Joel simply nodded at. The pair of them paused for a moment, while a comfortable silence fell over the café and the pair. Joel looked around, the café was full of muggle couples, most of them laughing and joking between themselves, Joel could tell these were newly made relationships, the awkward phase where you always have to be laughing still gripping them. He paused as he looked at another couple who were simply sitting in silence, each doing their own thing, comfortable with just being in each others company. This was the kind of pair he liked, the kind of relationship he was hopeful to one day be in. He had had a few relationships at Hogwarts, and was by no means bad with girls, but he never got past the constant talking and touching phase and into something comfortable, and he knew that he would be a lot better at the slower pace. He couldn't make out the faces of the couple, he could only see the dark raven hair of the back of the boys face as he looked over his menu, and the book the girl was reading covered everything but her big brown bushy hair. They looked at peace, and this made Joel smile.

He brought his eyes back to Sophie, looking into her green eyes. She had a playful smile on her face, but seemed to be miles away in her own thoughts, which by the dream like look on her eyes seemed to be a fun place. He looked around him, his food hadn't come yet and had already been about 10 minutes, so he couldn't place why. Thinking on this he remembered that muggles didn't have magic, or house elves to prepare the food and that waiting was necessary for them. Even `fast food' took its time and needed a wait. He looked back at Sophie, whose eyes were now on him, a curious look in her eyes.

`You're very different to when you were at school' she said directly, she had always been a very honest person and would ask these types of direct questions quite regularly, although she never did it nastily and always when they were alone `You know that? You're nothing like how I remember you…' Joel couldn't see how he had changed really, just the fact that he no longer went to Hogwarts and had this job.

`Is that a compliment?' he asked seriously, he really hoped that he wasn't worse than before, especially as he wasn't much to begin with.

`I'm not sure yet' she said with a cheeky smile, which disappeared as their food came, brought by a pretty waitress. They got their food ready, Joel had just had a salad and some soup, while Sophie had ordered a lasagne `Oooh, I hate to admit it but these muggles do know how to cook…So, are you going to take the living arrangements they've set up?' she asked, looking away from him. Joel had thought about this a lot and had made up his mind.

`I think so…' he said `I think I'll move all my stuff up to the place on the weekend, easier that way…' he didn't mention that he was putting it off because he would miss his parents' sudden change towards him.

`I'm moving my stuff up tonight…' she said looking at him `It'll be weird living in London, you'll be the only person I really know…' Joel couldn't help but feel his heart leap slightly at that, he would have a friend in his new life.

`You'll be my only, as well' he said, which Sophie seemed to blush slightly at, Joel just shook this off and carried on `I'm from Dorset, so my family are a bit away. Anyway people from Hogwarts are scattered everywhere, I'm sure you'll know more people here…'

`Yeah, I guess so' she said shrugging, eating her way through her lasagne. Joel watched as her eyes darted over the couples in the restaurant, coming to a dead stop on the couple that had attracted him, the comfortable couple. Looking over at them for a moment he saw they were in conversation although he still couldn't see their faces. The bushy brown hair girl seemed to be doing all the talking why the dark raven haired boy was just sat listening intently. Smiling at them he looked back at Sophie seeing that she had paused for a moment, a hint of something like fear in her eyes. Joel thought that she must also love this kind of couple, otherwise the quiet kind were usually over looked for the big and brass. He smiled thinking strange thoughts of him and Sophie being like that couple, but the thought was cut off as Sophie darted up from her seat suddenly grabbing Joel by the arm and pulling him out of the café. Joel couldn't fathom why she had done this. Thinking on it he assumed it must have upset her somehow, maybe it was a guy she knew, or they reminded her of something. He knew enough to know that women were very complex, and that his brain just didn't work in such a way to be able to work them out completely. Even though, Joel knew it would be careless of him to ask questions, obviously Sophie was hurt or scared and he knew it wasn't any of his business.

Sophie was pulling them quickly along the streets back to work, her eyes darting everywhere around her, looking over her shoulder constantly. Joel thought maybe he had missed something, or that she was just being extra careful now. The spies in his novels worked hard at not being followed back to their base, Sophie was a very bright girl he decided. He joined her in looking around, trying to see the face of every person in the large crowds, but quickly realized he hadn't a clue what to actually be looking for, so decided that Sophie was probably good enough at it for both of them, those Slytherins were very security conscious. She pulled him to a stop outside the building and faced him directly.

`Don't tell anyone about this…' she said in an urgent whisper `And DON'T think about it even!'

`Ok' Joel said although he wasn't sure why.

`We don't want people knowing where we just where… if they knew about it they'd become suspicious, it's only our first day after all… and we definitely don't want them to think we're up to anything!' she said, the panic in her voice was almost painful. Joel understood now. It was obvious now. A guy and a girl going for lunch, alone, people would think they were dating or something. He didn't know if that was even allowed, but he was sure it would probably be frowned upon at the very least. Maybe it was even a sack-able offence!

`I know what you mean…' Joel said quietly, making sure his words weren't over heard. She gave him a hopeful smile and took his arm and led him through the doors, amazing Joel at how composed she suddenly became, making her seem like the perfect spy…

*

Joel arrived home, deciding to Apparate, a lesser of two evils compared to Floo Powder in his opinion. As he checked to see if he was all there he was glad that he would soon be moving, that he might never have to Apparate or Floo again, if he was incredibly lucky. Walking up the garden path, he picked a dandelion from the flowerbed and walked through the door into the kitchen, where he saw his mother and father at the table.

`My baby boy! Back from this first day as a professional businessman!' his mother almost sobbed from joy, while his father put down the paper and beckoned him to sit down.

`How was it, son?' his father asked proudly.

`Great, hard work and all, but still great!' he said happily, giving his mother the dandelion which made her choke a little on her sobs. He picked up an apple from the table and took a bite, feeling the sweet taste fill his mouth and smooth his taste buds.

`Of course it was hard work! But I know you gave it 110% percent! Well done on you, son!' his father said smacking the table with his fist in a celebration.

`Of course, just as you taught me' Joel said, watching as tears started to flood his mothers eyes, tears that he hoped were for joy `And you know what…I have my own office!'

His mother let out a mix between a sob and a yelp in the excitement, while his father hit both his hands down onto the table, his favourite way to celebrate anything amazing.

`I can't believe it! My baby boy is a success!' his mother screamed, leaning across the table to pull him into a hug, his father hammering him proudly on his back.

`My son!' was his choked response.

Joel was feeling elated, unable to understand how much his parents loved him now, just because of a job and a room! But there was no way he was going to complain, hearing their words was perhaps the best thing that had ever happened to him. He got up to make himself some coffee, while his father went back to the paper. He spilt a little bit of the coffee as he was pouring it, and used his wand to clean up, amazed at the fact that some spilt coffee was the worst thing that had happened to him that day! The day was the best of his life.

`Huh…' his father huffed `Those Death Eaters have struck again…murdered some Auror named Kingsley Shacklebolt…sounds like some big mission on their part, they had to be organized to get an Auror!' Joel listened to the words and felt sorry for the man. He hoped Kingsley Shacklebolt had no family, but knew he would still have people who cared about him. People who would miss him now and always.

He helped himself to some toast and sat down on the chair, hoping that he would be allowed to replace the one in his office, a comfortable chair would really be something in his new job.

`There's an owl for you, son' his father said happily `probably your job, needing your advice!'

`Cheers, dad' he said looking up at the golden owl standing proudly at the table. He offered it a bit of his toast, which it hooted at happily before taking, while he undone the letter and opened it to read.

Dear Joel,

Hope your home safe and all. And I'm very happy that it's you who got the job, and even more so that you're moving to London soon. It's a bit lonely here at the moment and I would love the company. I was wondering if you wanted to meet for a coffee before work? Say eight o'clock in the Leaky Cauldron? We could make it our `before work ritual', all adult like! Well, I'll meet you there at 8 then. Have a good evening.

Yours,

Sophie Wolfe

Joel looked at the letter and smiled, when had he ever got a letter from a friend before?

`So what was it?' his father asked suspiciously.

`Just a friend…' he said taking another drink of his coffee, but could see the proud look on his mother and fathers face. His life was definitely heading in the right direction!

*

So that's chapter 2. Hoped you liked it, I enjoyed writing it. And I really do hope that you worked out who the couple were in the café, otherwise this wouldn't have made any sense!

Let me know what you think, if you like the direction the story seems to be heading in, and more importantly what you think of Joel and Sophie.

Thank you for reading!

Jms Granger.

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3. Just Another Moving Day

Disclaimer: Dude, not Harry Potter, don't worry.

Just Another Moving Day

Joel looked around his room, or what had previously been his room, and felt a strange feeling of sorrow pass through him, a feeling he never expected to feel when he escaped his parents' home. His room was now empty, only the dirty marks on the walls and floors showing the stain that something had been there before, be it his bed or his wardrobe. The walls were empty once more. His posters and pictures had all been taken down and it gave the room a feeling of loss of character, a character he hoped he might meet again at his new place. He looked at his watch and saw that it was nearly one midday, the removal agency weren't suppose to get his stuff there for anther half hour, and empty apartments had always had the ability to freak him out slightly. A girlfriend of his a while ago had told him it was his fear of being completely alone, which she said straight before leaving him, which he thought was a strange thing to do.

Lowering himself onto the floor to sit down for a minute and relax he started to think over his first week in his new job, how different it was to his time at Hogwarts. He was given new `targets' to reach every couple of days by Mr. Pettigrew, which so far were nothing more than amounts of different kinds of potions to brew, and then he went about completing them on his own initiative. He couldn't help but smile as he thought about how perfect this job was for him, doing something he was good at and without any time restraints was ideal, added to this the fact that he had just received his first pay check, a very handsome 100 Galleons and he was laughing, metaphorically anyway. When he was first given his pay check by Mr. Pettigrew he was sure it was a mistake, but having already pushed his luck a little too far with Mr. Pettigrew he decided to point it out to Sophie instead. Sophie didn't stop giggling for about half an hour, with her delightful smile on her face the whole time. He explained to her that 100 Galleons was probably more money than he had ever spent, to which she just laughed at again, telling him that he'll find a use for it. That's the reason he got the removal agency, he didn't feel like apparating back and forth with his stuff, so with this new found money he paid someone else to do it form him. He had waited around all morning for them to get there, nervous in case they were using house elves, and as a supporter of S.P.E.W he would have had to cancel it.

He spaced out slightly on the floor, trying to get a little more comfortable, when he realized that the removal company had also taken the carpet, and that he was now sitting on bare, and non smoothed, wood flooring. As he realized this, his father came bursting into the room in his usual tactic where he practically jumped out, and spent the next 30 seconds looking around the room like he expected to find a hippogriff or something.

`So you're finally doing it?' his father said, the line both a slight mix of an insult and praise.

`Yep…' he said simply, noticing his dad giving him a strange look.

`What you doing sitting on the floor, boy?' he asked in total puzzlement.

`Just resting…' he said standing up, the look of complete puzzlement on his face still evident. His father always had this look on his face when people did something he didn't do, like when Joel first started reading his Hogwarts textbooks at home his dad would stare at him trying to work out what he was doing and why. His dad had a weird way about him where he couldn't fathom anything anyone else did, Joel had learnt to never try and explain, because if his dad didn't do it then it could never be anything other than weird to him, instead he decided to change the subject to his dads favourite, peoples mistakes `Those fools at the removal agency only went and took the carpet!' he said, praising himself for his creative use of the word fool.

`What you talking about?' his father said baffled, like Joel had just been talking a different language, unsettling him.

`The carpet… it's gone?' he said unsure, his father though only carried on looking at him in puzzlement.

`Of course they didn't!' he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world `I sold it, got 2 Galleons for it as well!' he explained like everyone knew he had done this..

`You sold my carpet?' he asked in shock, thinking how bad a price 2 Galleons was.

`I sold my carpet to old Mundungus, he seemed to have a use for it' he said shaking his head at his sons' stupidity for not knowing this.

`Oh…' he said `How is old Mundungus?'

`Same old two bit thief!' his father said annoyed, turning and walking through the door carrying on with his tirade like he was still talking to someone `That dirty thief will get what's coming to…' but Joel couldn't hear the rest of it as he looked at his watch, he realized his things should be there by now. He looked around trying to check he remembered everything. He had everything moved. He had said goodbye to his mother. He had just said farewell to his father. That was it, he concluded, slightly depressed that his life held no other real ties, no long tearful farewells with a girl, no joking last drink with any friends, just moving his stuff and hearing his father moan about Mundungus Fletcher. And with a happy heart for leaving this place, he apparated to his new home.

He immediately felt someone throw themselves at him and pull him into a hug, he could tell by the blonde hair in his eyes that it was Sophie.

`Happy moving day!' she said brightly disengaging herself from the hug and throwing herself down onto a chair which sat by a small dinner table, just big enough for two people. Joel looked at this for a moment before he realized what it was.

`That's not mine!' he said `They must of delivered the wrong stuff!' he said looking around, but everything else seemed to be his, and it was all arranged nicely. In fact it was arranged better than he could of done it himself.

`It's my present, silly!' she said shaking her head and laughing. Joel paused for a moment to think this over and why it felt so weird, but then again he never had had a good enough friend to get him a present before, not even for his birthday. Remembering his present of an interview at the Nimbus Factory he had gotten from his dad for his 16th birthday he gave a sigh before leaving his memories behind him and focusing on the present. He walked over to Sophie and gave her a little hug, he was now genuinely happy.

`Thanks Sophie, this is great!' he said giving her a small smile, which she seemed to blush slightly at.

`I got here early with it, so I rearranged everything as they had left it in a terrible mess, do you like it?' she said eagerly looking around at what she had done. He looked around the living room and saw that she had put in his desk and some pictures, nicer ones, so he assumed that his bed and Puddlemere posters were in his bedroom. It looked great, although he only just started to realize how little amount of stuff he had.

`It's great!' he said smiling again.

`And in exchange for my expert help I demand a cup of coffee!' she said cheekily sitting down at the table in mock anticipation. Joel smiled and went of to the kitchen, where the point of how much stuff he had was really hit home. He had bought two cups and a kettle last week on lunch with Sophie, and that was all he had in here. He knew he would have to spend the day shopping as not as many places were open on a Sunday, and next week he had work.

`Sophie, do you fancy some shopping as afternoon?' he yelled from the kitchen, he heard as she practically squealed her response, a very excited yes. He finished making the coffee clearing up what he spilt and went into the living room to see Sophie already dressed with her shoes on, bobbing up and down in excitement, obviously ready to go.

`What about the Coffee?' Joel said and with one wave of her wand the cups were empty and Sophie had grabbed them out his hands, put them on the table and began to lead him out of the flat by his arm.

`That Coffee was superb' she joked, leading him out into the street, a pleasant looking road with little white house followed by little white house. The roads were immaculate and he was happy to have found such nice accommodation. `That's my flat, just there…' she said pointing at one across the street. Joel was shocked, he didn't know they'd be living so close to each other.

`You didn't tell me you lived across the road?' he said puzzled.

`You didn't ask' she said shrugging leading him down the road `Ok, so we head for Diagon Alley first to look around then get some muggle money at Gringotts. Then, although I hate to admit it, the muggles have some great clothes shops, so we'll go to Chelsea and hit GAP, Mac Cosmetics and some other places, ok?' she said all of this incredible fast, and Joel could tell that the Ok at the end was a pleasantry and no matter what he thought, they were going to do this. Joel chuckled to himself looking at the feverish excitement in Sophie's eyes at the prospect of a days worth of shopping. Today was going to be a long one.

*

`I can't believe that we got all of this stuff! And the sale at FCUK!' she practically screamed as she pushed her way past him into the living room, throwing herself down onto the chair in dramatic fashion while Joel struggled over the threshold carrying all the various outfits and shoes that Sophie had just had to have.

`I can't believe you needed all off this stuff in the first place' Joel said putting down the last of the bags, this one with the FCUK logo spattered across it, which he couldn't for the life of him remember what stood for.

`I don't need this stuff' she said rolling her eyes in dramatic contempt `I desire them' she finished simply, a brightness shining in her eyes.

`If you desire anything more I'm sure you're gonna need another flat' Joel said sitting down on the chair opposite him looking about his new home, which somehow didn't quite feel like a home yet. He fidgeted slightly, trying to get comfortable after a very long and even more tiring day shopping.

`You are so hopelessly male' she said sighing before adding teasingly `Actually your not. Your something completely different, like some alien thingy that has only taken a few lessons on how people are suppose to act, and tried to bluff through the rest'

`I'd love to argue but having no idea what the difference between any of the shoes you bought today other than there colour, I don't think I have much of one' he said, picking out a can of Dr. Pepper from a bag of groceries he had bought on the way back.

`Don't worry, that's the male lessons you've been to reaping rewards' she said looking around the apartment. Joel was wondering if he should actually try the Dr. Pepper or not as he remembered the advert he had seen on his first and only visit to a muggle cinema. And he remembered how badly everything in that evening had gone and as he stared at his new can he couldn't help wonder if this carried the curse of that evening.

`What you thinking?' Sophie asked curiously, giving Joel a suspicious eye, ever the Slytherin girl Joel thought.

`Nothing' Joel said shrugging, he didn't think that this thought was particularly the right thing to say at this moment.

`Go on! You've got me curious now, so not to tell would be you deliberately pissing me off, and that isn't very nice at all!' she said in a rush of words like she was telling of a toddler. Joel sighed, thought for a moment and decided that he probably wouldn't be able to get away with not saying now.

`Fine, I was remembering this terrible time I once had at a muggle cinema' he said in a resigned voice.

`A muggle cinema! Sounds terrible' she said in what Joel believed to be mock disgust, unless she really hated the cinema for some reason `What were you doing there?'

`Surprisingly I was watching a film!' Joel teased, but by the look in Sophie's eyes he knew he'd have to answer properly `I was on a date'

`Oooh, a date? You trying to make me jealous?' she teased making Joel laugh.

`You asked, I only answered' Joel said normally, while Sophie stared at him for a few moments with such intent that he could practically see the cogs going round inside her head.

`So why were you thinking about a date with some skank while sitting with me?' she said curiously, Joel however thought calling his old date a skank was a little harsh.

`Don't know why, really' he said thinking over her comment and just having to ask `Why did you call her a skank?'

`I'm guessing it wasn't you who decided to go to a muggle cinema, thus she's a skank' she said factually.

`God, you really do hate the cinema don't you?' he said in surprise which made Sophie let out a loud laugh.

`Oh, the Cinema, I just hate the cinema' he couldn't quite work out why she said the word cinema in such a strange way, but decided he didn't need to know why, just letting her talk was enough for him. He watched as her face got all serious, her green eyes seeming to bore into him as she thought before she let out a light laugh `So what film did you see on your date?'

`Um…' Joel was searching frantically through his mind but couldn't seem to find the answer `Can't remember…Anyway, it was about a spy who took on the Russians and saved the day with loads of gadgets… she had gotten me addicted to the books, but I didn't think as much of the film itself…' he explained, remembering the good parts of the films, especially when the badguy explains his whole plan to the hero, then the hero manages to escape brilliantly before using the information to take them down.

`You know what?' she asked giving him a wide eyed look of expectation. Joel waited for her to carry on before realising she actually wanted an answer.

`No. I don't know what' Joel said chuckling as Sophie carried on with whatever she was saying.

`I've actually never seen a film before!' she whispered, like somehow what she was saying was a sin in some way.

`How come?' Joel asked curiously.

`Well, I've never really been in the muggle world before, you know? My parents…my family didn't like the idea of mixing with them so I've never done it… I only learnt about the muggle clothes from a girl in my Herbology class last year who came back from holiday with loads of this stuff' she explained sighing a little and looking towards the window and the wet night outside.

`I can't believe that!' Joel exclaimed, making Sophie look at her in amazement `I take the fact that you were in Slytherin and add it to what you say about your family and I am so surprised about what job you chose!' Joel exclaimed feeling prideful about what she had already battled against in her life. Sophie, however, was staring at Joel, stock still and with eyes wide open in total shock. Joel felt uncomfortable as a few moments, which felt like hours, passed without her moving, Joel was worried he had insulted her somehow but felt relieved as she let out the loudest laugh he had ever heard from her which lasted for a good thirty seconds.

`So surprising!' she said while trying to stop herself from laughing, wiping at her eyes to stop tears from forming `Joel, you really are a riot, you know that!' Joel didn't know that he was a `riot', in fact seeing as he didn't know what he had said that was funny felt the exact opposite. He knew enough to say that being unknowingly funny wasn't ideal.

`I try' Joel said honestly, searching for anything to say in this situation and almost cheering as Sophie started to regain control of herself.

`So what do we do now?' Sophie asked, looking at Joel with a searching look in her eyes.

`Well…' Joel started thinking about something to do `it's getting late…so maybe we should call it a day so we can hit London again tomorrow?' Sophie eyes darted away from him for a moment before shooting back to him with a smile attached.

`That sounds a great idea' she said standing up suddenly, and waving her wand at her bags to make them disappear, which Joel assumed must have reappeared at her place `Well…I'll be going now' she said, looking out toward the window. Joel stood up to say goodbye properly.

`I've put the wards down for you, so you can come over whenever' he said, feeling a little awkward for standing up and having nothing to do.

`Thanks' she said simply flashing him a smile `What time shall I come round tomorrow?'

`How about I come round yours?' he asked, wondering what her place looked like, but Sophie had started chuckling and shaking her head back and forth.

`No no no no no!' she said, shaking her head to reiterate the point even more `Gentleman cannot see ladies room!' she said teasing.

`Ok, Lady Wolfe' Joel joked falling into a curtsy `What time will me Lady be appearing tomorrow?'

`I think for afternoon lunch' she said in an imitation at royalty while sucking up her lip to make her seem important, before breaking into a smile and throwing herself Joel's arms and giving him a huge hug. Joel felt the warmth of her being in his arms, and how perfect this moment felt. His parents had never been big on hugging, and as a consequence Joel had never been able to give a hug before, other than a few others with Sophie. He had dated girls for several months without having a hug anywhere as intimate as the one she gave him now. And before his thoughts could dwell anymore he heard a crack in his ears, and felt the lack of her body in his arms, both telling him Sophie had disapparated home.

*

So that's chapter 3. Hoped you liked it. I know it's been a while but I kept on leaving it so I could get a few more `reads'. I set a target of a thousand for chapter one (which is usually a pathetically easy target to reach!) and haven't even got 700 so far! So I will be posting from now on according to if you people who actually read it like it. So please review and tell me what you think.

Hoping you enjoyed it.

Expect a familiar face to make an appearance soon.

Jms Granger

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4. Just Another Employee

Disclaimer: I wish upon a falling star that I could stop these disclaimers…

Just Another Employee

Joel sat there, looking intently over his potion with his eyes inches over the spew behind him. He was creating a particularly hard version of the depression draught, but decided that'd he add a selection of peppermint to counteract the occasional after effects of the subject being unable to stop talking. He had decided to take the risk on three reasons, the first being that he had been in the job for nearly a fortnight now and was more confident in his abilities, but also the fact that he knew he would soon have to prove himself to his bosses if he was ever to work his way up the corporation. He had visions of working his way up to a supervisor of sorts, surely he might be able to do a better job than Mr. Pettigrew who even Joel could see was a bit of a liability, and that just by doing what was needed wouldn't earn him any praise. And finally he had been visited by his father, who said he had been in Diagon Alley for some business with Mundungus, and he had seemed most disappointed that he hadn't been promoted yet. Obviously Joel hadn't pointed out that he'd been their just over a week and would have to work for it as his father would of just dismissed it and told him about the `value of hard work'. Joel heard this line so often that he usually entertained the idea of a hard work stock market, just in business to measure its value.

So here Joel was now, adding an assortment of peppermint and an ether, where at best he might get a pat on the back, or at worst he had wasted a whole morning and would struggle to make his target for the day, a prospect that slightly worried him. This fear was the reason he was so intent on the potion, his eyes about an inch from the surface, only glancing up quickly at a clock in fear that something might happen if it relized he wasn't watching.

A knock on the door barely got his attention, and when he glanced up to see who it was, he got a quick eyeful of blonde hair and went back to his staring match with the depression draught.

`Hey Sophie' Joel called distractedly, eyes not moving from the new swirls that had appeared in his potion, this was the time to add his final piece, and then all he had to do was wait and hope for a positive outcome.

`Don't call me Sophie!' he heard a sneer from a mans' voice come from what he had wrongly expected to be Sophie. As he looked up properly, all thoughts now entirely with this stranger and away from his potion, he saw the blonde haired man standing before him, a sneer attached to his face that quickly changed to a smile `As I hope you can tell, I'm not this Sophie'

`I'm…um…sorry' Joel stuttered as he watched the man walk casually across his office and confidently dropping himself into the chair opposite him at his desk `Uh, who are you?'

`'You don't know?' the man replied with a confident chuckle `I'm Draco Malfoy' he added with pride, and with the name Joel remembered who the man, or boy as he should be called, was. The Slytherin Seeker.

`Oh, you're on the Slytherin team at Hogwarts, aren't you?' he asked, quite happy that he might know someone else at his new job.

`I was' he added darkly `But I guess I can't be anymore' this puzzled Joel slightly, if he remembered right, which he knew wasn't all the time, he was a year below and thus should be going into his NEWTS.

`You left?' Joel asked curiously, trying to bring up some sort of conversation.

`I guess that's one way to put it!' Draco said chuckling to himself before returning to composure `So am I going to have to guess your name? Because if I do I'm pumping for Sophie'

`Oh, no, I'm Joel Fielding' he said non-surprised that he wasn't remembered and tried to add something more to the conversation `I've only been here a fortnight, how about you?'

`I guess I've done this my whole life…' Draco said, Joel could tell he was slightly agitated by this statement but shrugged it off almost instantly and resumed his confidence stance `My father was in it before I was born, so I guess I've been raised for it'

`So you're working with your father?' Joel asked interestedly, thinking of working with his own father he added `That must be pretty rough?'

`At times…' Draco said shaking his head `But it's an honour really… you're a strange guy Joel Fielding…' he said sharpening his eyes at him like he was trying to read the small print in a contract. Thinking for a moment he hoped that he was strange in a kooky way which was nice, not in a weird way that would ruin any chance for friendship, luckily he added `I mean that in a good way'

`Cheers' Joel said with his best attempt at a friendly smile even though this Draco was slightly freaking him out. A moment lingered where Joel couldn't think of anything to say while Draco seemed to be examining him even closer, Joel looked around the room trying to look casual and thus avoid any awkwardness with the silence. The silence they shared was very different compared to the many he had shared in this office with Sophie, and not in a positive way. Joel was trying to think of anything to say when he was fortunately spared the humiliation of saying something stupid as he watched the door opened and Sophie walking through the door. She stopped at the same instance as Draco turned around to see who it was, a slight panic in his face as his hand went towards his wand. As he saw who it was he relaxed and turned on his chair.

`So you're the Sophie he mentioned?' Draco exclaimed in delight, Sophie however eyed him suspiciously before breaking into her characteristic happy smile. As Joel watched her give that smile he knew it was forced, by doubted anyone who didn't really know her would be able to tell. Ever the cunning Slytherin girl, Joel thought to himself.

`Is there any other Sophie in the world worth mentioning?' she said cheekily, getting a laugh from him before turning her attention to surveying the room and giving Joel a, proper, smile before turning into a frown `Joel, your potions smoking…' Joel initial reaction was to wonder what those words meant as panic stormed though him, laughter from Draco filling the air. After a few moments he finally he realized and looked down at the potion, panic still gripping him, and all he could do was wonder where the smoke came from. Moments passed into seconds as he stared at it, no movement or sound except the gushing of smoke and Dracos' mirthless laugh filling the room entirely.

Eventually it was like a switch had been thrown in his mind as he realized the whole situation. He had gotten himself distracted by Draco and had messed up by not putting in the last ingredient, now his whole mornings work had been wasted. He lifted his wand and emptied the cauldron and slumped back in his chair, brain working furiously to find a way around this. The only one he could find was to start again.

`You ok Joel?' Sophie asked earnestly, Joel realized she had come round the desk and was now standing next to him. He however couldn't yet answer, his throat felt rough `Don't worry bout it. You can prepare some more?'

`And hopefully this time you won't try and burn down your office!' Draco said laughing, still rooted firmly in his seat like none of the events were anything other than some light entertainment put on for his benefit.

`Leave him alone!' Sophie snapped fiercely at Draco, making him pause mid laugh. Obviously not even Draco was brave enough to directly piss off Sophie.

`It was only a joke' he said nonchalantly `you know that, right?' he asked Joel who nodded. Joel paused, thinking of everything and holding onto none of his thoughts. He knew what had to be done, starting from scratch would work and he had just enough time.

`I'm ok' Joel said eventually bringing a smile to his face, as long as he could still do it he wouldn't get in any trouble, and it was obvious Mr. Pettigrew was just waiting for a chance `it's only a potion, I got enough time to make a new one' he looked as Sophie and gave her a smile to tell her that he was being honest, which she returned.

`You got time for lunch now?' she asked, Joel could almost feel Draco staring at them like he was watching a TV show unfold in front of him.

`I'm sorry, I've got to start straight away…' Joel said ruefully. With the extra work and effort he had put in today he could have done with a relaxing hour with Sophie.

`That's ok, I'll wait with you' she said brightly, and for a moment a smile came to Joel's lips before Dracos' voice told them he was still in the room.

`Nonsense!' he declared standing up `It'll be better if Joel can work by himself. I'll accompany you to lunch in his place' he said this in a manner that told them it was already decided. Sophie looked at him and smiled and nodded before walking towards the door.

`That sounds great, I'll just get my bag' she said opening the door before turning back to Joel `I'll see you later, Joel' and with a last smile she left the room as she went to her office. Draco stood up quickly and followed her, calling goodbye to Joel as he left after her.

Joel walked over to his cabinet and pulled out some ingredients, and made his way back to his desk. He was concentrating intently for two reasons as he measured out the ingredients. The first was the fact that he didn't want to mess this up again, he would be in a lot of trouble if he wasn't able to hand it in later, failure wasn't going to look good upon him.

The second reason for his intense concentration though was a lot more worrying than being disciplined or fired. He was trying to cloud his mind from the strange thoughts and feelings he was feeling, picturing Sophie and Draco together in their café, holding hands, kissing, loving each other. And these pictures brought a strange fire in his chest, not the good kind which makes you able to confront your fears and fight. But the bad, cold, jealous kind.

*

Joel had added the last ingredient and now he was nearly done. It was past his usual finishing time, but they were allowed to stay late. But being late on their targets wasn't so good. Mr. Pettigrew was still there, and had seemed in a terrible mood all day, Joel figured that this was because Mr. Snape and Mrs. Bellatrix were due back next week and he only had the last couple days in order to run things. All in all, the potion was good, none of his extra touches could be added but it was a perfect textbook depression draught. He was now just counting down the minutes sitting on his chair, Sophie leafing through the Daily Prophet on the other chair.

As he watched her as she read intently, or laughed at something or other, in the paper he couldn't help but feel a little jealous. He was very disturbed by this, actually he thought the word incredibly was better than very on this instance, and Joel wasn't the kind of guy to over exaggerate. One problem was that this wasn't in his nature, he just wasn't the jealous kind of guy. He had never even felt the slightest urge of it with any of his past girlfriends, never. True he had respected many, like Cedric or Professor Dumbledore, but he was never jealous of them. He knew they deserved what they had by hard work and talent, and all they gave him was that he had to work hard to gain what they had. And even if he was the jealous kind of guy, he had no right to in this case. Sophie wasn't his girlfriend.

SOPHIE! GIRLFRIEND! He shouted in his thoughts. The volume of it, even though solely in his head was enough to make him feel temporarily deafened. Sophie was his friend, how could he be feeling jealous over a friend, that didn't make sense. He tried to convince himself that he was worried about losing his new friend. But he knew that didn't make sense. Why would she stop being his friend because she had another? And why would he be so preoccupied with her and Draco kissing if it was just over a friend.

His brain was hurting, he was feeling miserable. He was worried that he might have accidentally taken some of the depression draught, in fact he was so sure of it that he had taken some antidote, which didn't have any effect. He was in shock, he was not the kind of guy to be thinking things like this, he was carefree, as Professor McGonagall had said he `sleep walked' through life. Not torturing himself with things like this. He shook his head, trying to rid these thoughts, but only accomplished getting a strange look from Sophie as she peered up from her paper.

`Who's gotten you?' she asked putting down the paper.

`What?' Joel asked confused, trying to make sense of the words she had spoken.

`That's what my Uncle used to say when people were thinking about something deeply' she started to explain `that someone had gotten you. He said things and possessions never made anyone think properly, objects just couldn't affect us enough. Only people could realty get into us…'

`Oh…um, Just Mr. Pettigrew and me handing this in late' Joel lied, patting himself on the back for coming up with something so convincing at the drop of a hat. He felt more like the heroes from his spy novels than ever before.

`That's the first time you've lied to me!' Sophie said softly, a little bit of hurt in her voice as it shook slightly. Joel slammed himself for this, both for not being convincing and also for hurting her. He thought for a moment and decided he had to tell the truth, he wasn't the lying kind of guy

`I'm sorry…' he said honestly, Sophie looked a bit happier as she knew he was telling the truth `I was just thinking about that Draco. I don't know what to make of him, he seemed a bit…you know?' Joel explained badly, Sophie however was now smiling and looking a little excited at this new change in conversation.

`Smarmy? Conceited? Arrogant?' she asked helpfully `All those are good adjectives to describe him!'

Joel was now laughing, his mind had stopped throbbing and he now felt a million times better, she evidently wasn't going to run of with him.

`While we were having lunch he kept on accidentally grazing my leg with his hand!' she stated making a gagging action to accompany this, making Joel laugh even more. However he did feel slightly bad for him, he hadn't been nasty to Joel, and he was here now seeming to be abusing him. These thoughts stopped him laughing altogether and try and turn serious.

`So why did you go?' he asked.

`Well, he's connected' she stated shrugging `Better to have as a pervert friend than a powerful enemy' Joel couldn't help but be impressed by his perfect little Slytherin friend! At this moment a beep stopped him before he said anything, to let him know his potion was finished. He stood up and emptied it into a prepared bottle and labelled it. He stopped for a second to breathe in, happy that this day was finally over.

`You ready to jet, Joely?' she asked putting on her shoes. Watching her do this he had to smile briefly, it was one of the things he loved about her, how she always had to take of her shoes wherever she is, so she can get comfortable.

`Yeah' he said pulling on his jacket and opening the door out if his office, which Sophie squeezed through before him `Gotta drop this of with Mr. Pettigrew now, the store is locked'

She took him by the arm and, as usual, started to lead him through the many corridors confidently, abusing Mr. Pettigrew even more than usual, which Joel thought might be a pre-empt in case he exploded at Joel. Before he knew it he was outside his office, where he paused for a moment, gave Sophie a hopeful smile and pushed open the door and entered.

Mr. Pettigrew was behind the desk, fiddling with his hair, which was all too obviously a hair piece. Joel had to suppress a giggle as he jumped at Joel's arrival and stood up in panic, before sitting back down in a bit of a temper.

`What you doing, Mr. Fielding?' he said nastily.

`I've got the depression draught' he said walking up toward the desk. He watched as Mr. Pettigrew made a very dramatic attempt at reading his watch, obviously letting Joel realize how late it was, `I'm sorry, but there was an accident…and…well it's done now' Joel finished lamely.

`It's past 6 now, that's over an hour late, what do you have to say about this?' he asked meanly. Joel was confused, seeing as he had just explained it he had no idea what answer he expected to hear this time around, so he chose to put it down on the desk instead and mutter `sorry'.

`Sorry? Sorry?' Mr. Pettigrew repeated overly dramatic making him seem more like a clown than a real person `that's it boy! I'm reporting you to the top! You know what that means?' he added acidly, evidently him walking into him putting on his hair piece had soured him even more than usual.

`Suspension?' Joel guessed, thinking that being fired would sound too dramatic for this offence.

`SUSPENSION!' he bellowed in anger `Who do you think you're dealing with here, boy? Failure isn't an option! He'll murder you for this!' Joel was impressed that Mr. Pettigrew knew this term, obviously he had liked muggle studies as much as Joel had and had tried to incorporate it, but the effect of using such dramatic language for being fired only helped to perfect the image of a clown in Joel's mind.

`No. He wont' came a third voice from behind him surprising Joel. As he turned round he saw that Draco Malfoy had entered the room and gave Joel a knowing look.

`Mr. Malfoy…' Mr. Pettigrew stuttered, he looked nervous in his company, Joel figured because of his connections and his father he held some power over him `But…I'm supposed to report this…

`You should then…' Draco said confidently `But if you decide to put that into action make sure to point out I was responsible. Otherwise you might be accused of passing him wrong information, again!' Draco snarled a little angrily and cockily. At this Mr. Pettigrew almost broke down, Joel could literally see the beads of sweat falling down into his eyes.

`No…' he said with evident fear `don't want that…but…' Draco however interrupted him.

`If I could make a suggestion' he said cutting over him like he hadn't been a bout to speak `How about you forget this. Saves a lot of trouble for you, as well as me'

`Yes…forget this…' Mr. Pettigrew said looking down at his feet.

`Good' Draco said cheerily, turning and walking out of the room. Joel, with one last glance at the broken man in front of him, he turned and followed him out of the room.

As he shut the door behind him he saw Draco and Sophie talking animatedly, Sophie ever the cute actress.

`Thanks, Draco' he said honestly, relieved that he had escaped trouble.

`No worry' he said waving this away `I've got to leave, I shall see you later, Sophie' and with this he walked away out of sight. Joel turned to Sophie and sighed a breathe of relief.

`I though I was gone there!' he said as she took him by the arm and lead him toward the exit.

`Sounded bad!' she said with a little note of left of panic in her voice. Joel could feel her arm shaking slightly as well, obviously she had been very worried that he would be fired, or to use Mr. Pettigrew's term `murdered'! At this Joel let out a little laugh and relaxed, happy to feel Sophie so close to him. They were approaching the exit.

`So what's the plan for tonight?' Joel asked looking at her, but her eyes refused to meet his as she answered.

`I've got something to do, sorry' she said, eyes all the time on her destination. Joel's stomach lurched slightly but he reasoned that they couldn't spend all their time together. Just most of it.

As they left the building, both ready to apparate away Joel turned to her and saw a troubled look in her eyes.

`What's wrong?' he asked, but as soon as he did the look had disappeared and had been replaced by a smile which made him doubt the look had actually existed.

`Nothing!' she said happily `Just a long day is all' and then she did something she had never done before, she leaned up and kissed him, on the cheek, before disapparating, leaving Joel blushing, feeling the spot where her lips had been on his skin.

*

So that's chapter 4, hope you liked it. Plots finally starting to get going (just a little anyway), and by the next chapter (which I promise is a biggie!) you should have a better feel for the plot.

Anyway review and I'll post quickly! And just to wet your appetite a little for the next chapter, Sophie and Joel (I put her name first as she's really the boss of him) catch the Knight Bus for a Saturday afternoon out of London, where Joel will meet someone. That someone should prove interesting for you…

Hope you enjoyed and thanks to everyone who has reviewed and to Diana Black, TheRavenAbraxas, hobasteritch and indie who reviewed on the last chapter.

Jms Granger

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