DEVIL'S SNARE ━ james sirius potter ✓

▬▬ 30. NEW YORK

⠀⠀ James laughed a little. He enjoyed her forthrightness. It always felt fresh to hear and reminded him of his mother and Dominique. Merlin, he missed them.

⠀⠀They reached their floor, continuing their banter as they walked into their department, greeting their other coworkers, walking to their adjacent desks. They had arrived in the nick of time. The dreaded meeting would start in two minutes.

⠀⠀"Here we go," Avani muttered as they headed to the conference room, causing James to let out a small chuckle.

⠀⠀Everyone took their seats at the table, Howard sitting at the head of it.
⠀⠀"Alright," he began, lighting a cigar. "I'll try to keep this short since I know we all have things to do. At least, I know I do. Let's do a rundown on updates on cases." He pointed at James, with the smokey cigar between his fingers. "Let's start with you, Pot-tah." Howard said James' last name with a terrible British accent, earning a few chuckles from James' kissing-ass coworkers.
⠀⠀James ignored it, folding just hands on the table. "I can't say much, but I'm hoping my request to the Auror department of the British Ministry of Magic has been accepted."
⠀⠀"That's progress," Howard said, tapping the cigar on an ashtray. "Your case has been at a standstill for what?—a year now?"
⠀⠀"The killings have stopped and I was ousted," James replied matter-of-factly. "I have some new leads but I can't share it with you all."
⠀⠀"Who said that?"
⠀⠀James tried to keep his smugness down. "I don't think I need to recount word for word everything the President said to you when you didn't let me make my request. Sir."
⠀⠀Everyone began snickering around the room. Howard smushed his cigar into the ashtray, glaring all of the other Aurors until they stopped laughing. Then he looked at James. "The smugness of a Potter. I expected no less."
⠀⠀"I'm just doing my job," James replied smartly. Howard seemed to quietly growl at James, baring his teeth like an angry dog ready to bark. But he didn't.
⠀⠀"What about you, Fang?" Howard asked, turning his attention to Avani, his voice sweet who sat next to James. Avani subtly rolled her eyes.

⠀⠀As Avani briefed Howard on her case, James flipped through his file quietly, looking at the photos taken. It was his first lead in a long time and he had no idea what to do with it. That's why he asked for Laurel's help. And he prayed to whatever God out there that she would come.

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

THE CLOCK KEPT TICKING all day, and James felt himself checking it every few minutes. Even Avani noticed.
⠀⠀"You good, Potter?"
⠀⠀"Since when were we on a last name basis?" James teased as he broke his gaze away from the clock. He had only an hour before Laurel was supposed to meet him here.
⠀⠀Avani shushed him. "We're at work!"
⠀⠀"Oh, cut the crap," James replied, rolling his eyes. "Everyone here knows."
⠀⠀"I hate you," Avani said, but she was smiling, getting up from her chair as she flipped him off, leaving for the evidence room.
⠀⠀"Sure you do!" James called after her, getting looks from his other coworkers.

⠀⠀In truth, Avani was the only one who really took to him. Perhaps it was because she was very much attracted to him (and vice versus), but James thought it was mostly because she didn't know who he was before she really got to know him. The rest of his coworkers gawked when they first met him, but eventually stayed away, She was a Muggle-born (or No-Maj) who had virtually no idea who the Potters were until later, nor did she really care to begin with. So when she met James, it was easy for them to be friends without the assumptions.
⠀⠀But James also knew that none of them expect him to stay this long. And none of them knew when he would leave, so he understood why they didn't want to form a relationship with him. Avani was the exception. She didn't care. That's why she let herself crush on him, but wouldn't let it get farther than that.

⠀⠀He put his thoughts away from his mind as a bright yellow envelope flew towards him and onto his desk. James' stomach lurched since he thought it would be from Laurel, but it calmed as soon as he realized it wasn't. It was from the President.
⠀⠀Quickly opening it before it tore itself apart (as it always does. All of the President's notes were as such), he read the contents:

Potter,
⠀⠀I have confirmed with Deputy Katie Bell that Miss Laurel Scamander will be here to help you with your case. Close this case. It is important to me and I know you want to go home.

⠀⠀Though it sounded like a threat, James couldn't help but grin. It took everything in him to not jump up from his seat and shout in victory. He knew he'd have a lot it explaining to do with Laurel, but the joy that surged through him beat that. He was going to see the love of his life (whether he admitted that to himself or not).
⠀⠀He watched the paper disintegrate in midair, glancing at the clock again. Thirty minutes. He knew he wouldn't be able to focus on anything for the next half an hour, so he headed to the department kitchen to make himself some tea to calm his nerves. Opening the cabinets, he found his box of teabags, heating up a mug of water with a quick charm. After he took a sip, he walked back to his desk, pulling out the photos in his drawer. He didn't know why he kept them at work, then he realized it was probably because he spent more time at the headquarters than at home.

⠀⠀Fingering the Polaroid, James started at Laurel's smiling face. He wondered if she had changed within the two years he was gone. He wondered if she was doing well. He wondered if she was happy.

⠀⠀Glancing at the clock once more, James decided he'd head down five minutes early. Taking one last sip of his tea, he pulled on his jacket, readjusted his tie, and headed for the door.

⠀⠀"Where are you going?" Avani asked as he passed her on his way out.
⠀⠀James paused for a second, looking at her, trying to find the words. "Meeting an old friend, I guess." Old friend? More like old lover.
⠀⠀Avani smiled, patting his shoulder. "Have fun!"
⠀⠀James smiled back, heading towards the elevator as Avani walked back into the department. Pressing the elevator button, he tapped his foot impatiently as he waited. The empty elevator dinged in arrival, opening its doors for James. He stood inside as the doors closed, pressing the button to the ground floor, bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet, his hands in his pockets. It's just Laurel, why are you so nervous? You know her inside and out and her with you! Calm down.

⠀⠀But James could not calm down. Two years can change a person. What if he didn't know the Laurel he was about to meet? What if things had changed? What if she doesn't love me anymore?

⠀⠀The elevator kept going down. James almost didn't feel the bounce as it stopped on the ground floor, going off with another ding at its arrival. He walked out even though his legs shaking. James looked up at the glass doors of the entrance. Other wizards and witches were streaming in, but he could make out Laurel's figure as she stood outside.
⠀⠀ She was poise, as always, with her blonde hair tied back, the hem of her blue skirt peeping out from the bottom of her black trench coat. She had one hand in her pocket, the other on her trunk, her blue eyes glancing at the people walking by the building and the cars that sped by on the road. Her blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail, longer than the last time he had seen her.
⠀⠀James walked quickly as he recognized her, a grin forming on his face. He just wanted to get to her. To hold her. To hear her voice again. To see her smile.

⠀⠀And there she was. His Laurel Pandora Scamander.