【 CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE 】
━━━━ CHANCES ━━━━
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PHILLIP WAS GONE THE next morning. Laurel wasn't even surprised. Part of her wished he had stayed, to prove her wrong, to prove that he was worth it and that he was the one, but nothing would change her mind now.
⠀⠀She rolled over in her bed, looking at the time. Realizing she had work in a few hours, she got up quickly, waved her wand to fix up the room from the mess that had been created last night, and a second wave to lay out the clothes she was going to wear on her bed. Laurel headed to the shower, washing off all the previous night's grime and whatnot, discovering some marks on her neck. She grimaced.
⠀⠀Turning off the shower and wiping herself down, she quickly cast a charm over the marks, hiding them from view. She headed back to her bedroom, where she found Caesar napping on her bed in the sunlight, smiling at the cat. Laurel got dressed quickly, before heading to the kitchen to make herself some breakfast.
⠀⠀Laurel had almost completely forgotten about James' sudden letter had she not stepped on the blue envelope that was on the floor on her way to the kitchen. She picked it up, placing it in her kitchen counter to examine again once she made breakfast. She quickly made something for herself, sitting down with it at her table, a cup of warm tea and the letter in hand.
⠀⠀Pulling out the letter, she read it over again. March 1st. She glanced over at her calendar at her desk, realizing that it was a week from now. She had time to decide, right? And it's not like she would have to reply to him so quickly, right? Laurel put the letter back in the envelope, finishing her breakfast. With two waves of her wand, she had the dishes washed and the envelope in her work bag, grabbing her coat and putting on her shoes. Taking one more look in the mirror that hung in the corridor leading to the front door, she headed towards her fireplace, grabbing a bit of green Floo Powder that sat on her mantle. She watched Caesar jump up onto her sofa, who was watching her closely as she dropped the powder into it, igniting a heatless emerald fire.
⠀⠀"I'll see you later, Caesar," Laurel said to the cat as if he understood her, stepping into the flames. "The Ministry of Magic!"
⠀⠀The green flames began to spin around her, as well as other fireplaces in places she didn't know. Eventually, it stopped and she found herself looking at the Atrium of the Ministry, taking a step out of the fireplace, dusting herself off, walking to the lifts.
⠀⠀She stepped inside with about ten other people, dodging all the floating paper airplanes that flew inside the lift, saying good morning to some of the people standing near her. Just as the doors were about to close, Laurel saw someone running towards them, spotting a familiar face rushing towards them—Callen! Laurel jabbed her finger on the button to keep the doors open, letting her friend pass in before the doors shut again, the insanely well-dressed woman catching her breath. She wasn't wearing wizard robes like everyone else, instead, she was wearing a baby blue blazer with a matching pencil skirt, a cream top with a pair of white heels to match. Callen's black round glasses only added to how fashionable yet professional she looked.
⠀⠀"Callen!" Laurel exclaimed, hugging her best friend. Laurel rarely ever saw Callen at work, since she was always bustling around helping with Muggle-wizard affairs, so this was a special occasion. "You look good, Madam Li-Evans."
⠀⠀Callen laughed as she squeezed her friend back. "You're sweet. What floor are you heading to?"
⠀⠀"Second. You?"
⠀⠀"Actually, same. I have to drop something off with your boss." Callen chuckled, waving a big brown envelope in the air with the Ministry's logo stamped on it. There was a big red stamp over the front of it that said CONFIDENTIAL. Under it was Laurel's boss' name: Deputy Katie Bell.
⠀⠀"Like a case?"
⠀⠀"Yeah. I don't know about what though. Granger told me it was top secret."
⠀⠀"I can see that," Laurel laughed, pointing at the red letters. "Isn't your job not to be delivering these things?"
⠀⠀"Eh well, our Minister doesn't trust the ones who usually deliver these things, so she had me do it. Besides, it doesn't take very long anyway."
⠀⠀Laurel shrugged. "I mean, I could take it to my boss, if you want."
⠀⠀"No, it's alright, Laury. I want to see what your office looks like anyway," Callen laughed.
⠀⠀Laurel laughed too. "Oh, I'm reminded. I have something kind of important to tell you but I couldn't send you an owl since I got it last night." She dropped her voice to a whisper. "And obviously, there are too many people here that I know would eavesdrop."
⠀⠀Callen giggled, lifting her hand up to her mouth to cover her smile. The lift finally reached the second floor at that moment, the two friends walking out, heading towards the Investigative Healer Department.
⠀⠀"I'll give this to Deputy Bell first," Callen said as they stopped at Laurel's desk. Laurel nodded and watched her friend knock on the department head's door, walking inside. Laurel sat down at her desk, organizing the papers and files that were scattered around from the last time she was here.
⠀⠀The Investigative Healer Department was relatively small, a branch of the Aurors that weren't trained as Aurors. They were coroners, usually testing bodies for causes of death and the like, but on occasion they were called out of office to help Aurors at the crime scene. Sometimes they would come to help take injured persons to St. Mungo's. Laurel was one of five of the team, working together on some cases while most of them were assigned by Deputy Bell to work on individually. Laurel liked her coworkers, but truly disliked most of the Aurors that walked in, expecting answers quickly. But for the most part, she enjoyed her job.
⠀⠀Laurel readjusted the framed photos that sat at her desk, one of the entire Scamander family, from before Lorcan died, one with Phillip, and another of her and her friends from their Hogwarts years at Hogsmeade. She paused to look at the last one, focusing on one laughing face — James. Laurel picked up the frame, her fingers lingering over his laughing face. She was immediately reminded of the blue envelope that sat in her bag.
⠀⠀Just then, Callen came out of the office, the clacking of her heels breaking Laurel from her mild daze. "Your boss is pretty cool."
⠀⠀Laurel's face lit up. "I know. She's amazing."
⠀⠀Callen smiled. Then she paused and pointed at her friend's neck. "Is that a—?"
⠀⠀"A hickey? Yes. I tried covering it."
⠀⠀"I keep telling you that spell doesn't work, Laury." Callen chuckled a little.
⠀⠀"Is it that obvious?"
⠀⠀Callen stared at Laurel for a minute. "No, you're fine." She reaches over to strategically place Laurel's hair around her neck to hide it. "There you go."
⠀⠀Laurel chuckled. "Thanks."
⠀⠀"Didn't you have something to tell me?"
⠀⠀"Oh yeah! James wrote to me."
⠀⠀Callen's face contorted into confusion. "James? You mean James Sirius Potter?"
⠀⠀"That's the one."
⠀⠀"Nobody has heard from him in—"
⠀⠀"Two years. I know."
⠀⠀"What did he write?"
⠀⠀So Laurel pulled out the envelope and handed it to Callen. She read it over almost three times before handing it back to Laurel, the confusion in her face still ever present.
⠀⠀"I don't know. What are you going to do, Laury?" Callen asked.
⠀⠀"I don't know. How do I even know if it's him?" Laurel asked, shrugging, keeping her voice down as her coworkers began streaming into the office, greeting them.
⠀⠀"I wish I could answer that. Does Phillip know?"
⠀⠀"No. I can't tell him. He always gets...weird whenever I talk about James in the slightest."
⠀⠀Callen paused before talking again. "I don't like him, you know."
⠀⠀"I know," Laurel said, sighing. "I'm pretty sure I'm going to break up with him soon. You know he said he wanted me to meet his parents in two weeks? I don't actually want to meet his parents. At all!"
⠀⠀"Oh for Merlin's sake, Laury, just break up with him already."
⠀⠀"I will, I will," Laurel replied, waving her hands in the air. "Anyway that's not super important. What am I to do with James?"
⠀⠀"Write to Dom—actually, write to Asher too. Let's meet up tonight at my house at six to discuss this and for dinner. Besides, we haven't had a get together in awhile. Not since..."
⠀⠀Laurel nodded as Callen trailed off. She knew what Callen meant. They hadn't had a get-together since James left suddenly. It had hurt all of them, since he disappeared without a word. Even his own family had no idea. Then he shows up again in their lives with this stupid and evasive letter as if it could explain everything. Laurel could tell Callen was hurt too. James' sudden disappearance had hurt them all.
⠀⠀"I'll see you tonight then," Callen said, smiling. "I think this will be good for all of us."
⠀⠀"Yeah," Laurel agreed. "I get to stay away from Phillip for a night."
⠀⠀Callen laughed at Laurel's snide joke, hugging her friend before gracefully walking out of the department like the goddess she was.
⠀⠀Laurel quickly pulled out two pieces of parchment and addressed one to Asher, while the other would be folded into an airplane and sent to Dominique, where ever she was in the Ministry. She didn't enclose much information except the time and place for dinner and that it was important—crucial.
⠀⠀She quickly gave the envelope to Asher to an owl, watching it fly off towards wherever, while casting a silent charm over the paper airplane, watching it shake to life and fly away.
⠀⠀The rest of the day went by smoothly, Laurel finding herself in her usual place of examining dead bodies — which were mostly killed by a potion of sorts or a charm/spell that eventually caused the death. This was where she was most comfortable, but she found that rushing to crime scenes and healing people were more rewarding for her.
⠀⠀Dominique and Asher had replied quickly, saying that they could make it, excited to get together again (but neither were too happy about James' sudden reappearance).
⠀⠀During her break, she talked to her parents through the Floo, sticking her head into the emerald flames.
⠀⠀"James Sirius Potter?" Rolf asked incredulously when Laurel told them of the letter she had received.
⠀⠀"Yes, Dad. The one and only," Laurel said, chuckling.
⠀⠀"If you're going to go, you'd better let Phillip know," Luna said. "Have you told him?"
⠀⠀"No, Mum. I haven't..."
⠀⠀"Are you going to?"
⠀⠀Laurel paused. "I'm going to break up with him."
⠀⠀Her parents didn't respond for a second, looking at each other through the fire.
⠀⠀"I thought everything was going fine, Laury," Rolf said.
⠀⠀"Yeah, but...I'm getting tired. I don't really enjoy spending time with him."
⠀⠀"Then there's not point in staying," Luna said plainly. "You know what you have to do, Laurel."
⠀⠀"Yeah. Thanks. I have to go now, but I'll talk to you soon?"
⠀⠀"You should visit soon! The tiger lillies are beginning to bud!" Rolf said excitedly in typical gardener-dad fashion.
⠀⠀Laurel laughed. "I will as soon as I can. I love you."
⠀⠀"Love you too," her parents said in unison, smiling. Then with a wave their faces disappeared.
⠀⠀Laurel headed back to her desk, finishing the last of the report she was writing before calling it a day. Her coworkers were already packing up to go home. Finishing the last sentence, she stood up to deliver it to Deputy Bell, only to find that exact person heading towards her desk.
⠀⠀"Hey, Scamander," Bell said, "do you have a minute before you go?"
⠀⠀"Yeah," Laurel said, nodding. She waved her coworkers goodbye, heading to the office. She placed her finished report in the basket which contained all the other finished reports Bell had to go over, taking a seat in front of Bell's desk. Laurel then noticed the envelope Callen had brought in this morning sitting on the desk. She looked at Bell expectantly.
⠀⠀"I called you in because I know you're one of our best coroners around," Bell said, her hands resting on the envelope. "And I wanted you to take this case." She slid the envelope across the desk towards Laurel, who gingerly picked it up. She opened it, pulling out the case file inside.
REQUEST FILLED BY: NEW YORK AUROR DEPARTMENT OF THE MAGICAL CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
⠀⠀Her eyes widened immediately. "New York?"
⠀⠀"I know, I know," Bell said, her voice calm. "It's a bit far. Just keep reading." So she did.
INVESTIGATION: SUSPICION OF A MOLE IN THE MACUSA. BELIEVED TO BE PART OF A SECRET MAGIC SOCIETY OF ORGANIZED CRIME. SUSPICION OF MAGICAL SUBSTANCES USED.
SPECIAL REQUESTS: HELP FROM THE BRITISH INVESTIGATIVE HEALER DEPARTMENT. BEST OF THE BEST. SOMEONE WITH EXPERTISE. MISS LAUREL PANDORA SCAMANDER SPECIFICALLY, IF POSSIBLE.
⠀⠀Laurel didn't have to take two guesses to figure out who had filed the request. She finally tore her eyes off the page, flipping through the polaroids that were also included in the envelope. Most were dead bodies, all bruised and bloodied, foaming at the mouth. Except the foam was purple.
⠀⠀"Interested?" Bell asked.
⠀⠀"I'm really honored that you think so highly of me, Deputy. Truly," Laurel said, after a moment's pause. "But I need time to think about it."
⠀⠀"Alright. You cannot tell anyone. This case is confidential. Let me know as soon as possible."
⠀⠀Laurel nodded in response, getting up to leave the office. "You can trust me. I'll see you tomorrow."
⠀⠀Bell simply smiled and returned to her work as Laurel left the office, closing the door behind her. She walked back to her desk, just a little shaken up from the surprise of the case. Sitting down at her desk, she placed the file on it, staring at the brown envelope with CONFIDENTIAL stamped across it in bright red. If James had sought her help twice, could this be fake? Was this real? Or was this extremely urgent? He asked to meet March 1st, giving her time to think it over, but she didn't know if she wanted to see him again. Yet, she knew this would advance her career.
⠀⠀Sighing, she checked her watch, realizing she had about an hour until the gathering. Laurel quickly packed up her bag, grabbing her coat from her chair, heading to the lifts, leaving the case in her drawer, waving her wand to lock it.
⠀⠀She quickly headed home, hopped into the shower, fed her cat, and then quickly put on a nicer outfit before leaving her apartment (since she had anti-Apparition wards up and closed her fireplace to Floo access) and Disappirating to the front of Callen and Evan's house.
⠀⠀Heading to the red door with a the golden number inscribed across the front, she pulled the knocker, waiting for either Evan or Callen to answer. Instead of either, it was Asher. Laurel's face lit up in recognizing her good friend, throwing her arms around his lanky frame.
⠀⠀"Ash!" Laurel exclaimed, hugging him tight.
⠀⠀ "It's been too long," Asher replied, hugging her tight. Laurel pulled back, grinning at him.
⠀⠀"How are you and your girlfriend?" Laurel asked as she took off her shoes and her jacket, Asher shutting the door behind them, leading her through the corridor towards the kitchen. Laurel could already hear the loud chitter chatter of Dominique and Evan bantering as usual. She smiled.
⠀⠀"Girlfriend?" Asher asked, scratching his head, chuckling.
⠀⠀Laurel hit him lightly. "Do you not have a girlfriend? The girl you brought to my New Years party? I can't remember her name."
⠀⠀"OHHH! You mean Vivian?" Asher exclaimed as he realized who Laurel meant. "Nah, it didn't amount to anything so we ended it."
⠀⠀"Did she end it or was it mutual?" Laurel asked, chuckling a little.
⠀⠀"You're fucking rude as hell," Asher said, but he was smiling. It really felt like old times, but maybe better. If anything, in some ways, Laurel was closer to her friends than anything now than before.
⠀⠀Before Laurel could bite back, they arrived in the kitchen, where Callen was laying out food, Dominique and Evan bickering over the latest Quidditch game glasses of white wine at the table.
⠀⠀"You know the Chudley Cannons have been playing like absolute shite this season," Evan said, shaking his head, taking a sip of his wine, his eyes flitting to Laurel and Asher. He almost choked on his wine as he stood up to meet Laurel. "Laury!"
⠀⠀He almost knocked her over in giving her a hug. Laurel hadn't seen him since last year, since both him and Callen weren't home for her New Years party. Laurel hugged him back tightly. She saw Callen standing a bit far off and they shared a smile.
⠀⠀"I'm so glad you're here!" Evan exclaimed. "It's really been too long."
⠀⠀"I was just saying that," Laurel heard Asher say.
⠀⠀"Evan, get off. You're killing her," Dominique said, wrenching Laurel and Evan apart and succeeding, only to launch herself onto Laurel, wrapping her arms around her friend. "Why don't you ever call, Laury?"
⠀⠀Laurel hugged Dominique back, and then pulled away, giving her hands a squeeze. "I still don't know how to use that phone or whatever you gave me."
⠀⠀"I'll teach you!" Dominique said, watching Laurel and Callen share a short hug. "Seriously. It's not that hard."
⠀⠀"Just write me. That has never gone wrong." Laurel fetched herself a glass of water, taking a sip and sitting down at the table in between Asher and Dominique.
⠀⠀"Ugh," Dominique whined in her usual fashion. "Fine."
⠀⠀Laurel just smiled in response, waiting for dinner to start. She noticed that there were six seats at the table, but only five of them, quietly sighing to herself. Laurel knew that as much as James had hurt them by leaving without a word, he'd always have a seat at their table.
⠀⠀Once Callen sat down, after laying out all the food (which was very much her Korean cuisine with some Chinese mixed in) they all engaged in their usual lively chatter about life, work, politics, and the like. Dominique was still seeing the girl she met at Callen and Evan's wedding, Ardis Zabini, which was a surprise, considering how she hadn't dated anyone seriously ever before.
⠀⠀"Laury, how have you and Phillip been?" Evan asked, right before he shoved a dumpling in his mouth. Callen almost choked on her food, causing Dominique to snort and Laurel to kick them both under the table. Even at their age, they still acted like children.
⠀⠀"I think the fact that he doesn't know i'm here tonight and that I didn't bring jim should tell you enough," Laurel said, taking a sip of her water.
⠀⠀"Laurel, he doesn't know you're here?" Asher asked. "I thought you guys were doing okay."
⠀⠀"That was last year," Laurel said, shrugging. "Time is a funny thing."
⠀⠀"Break up with him already," Dominique said as if it were an obvious fact.
⠀⠀"That's what I told her," Callen chimed in.
⠀⠀"What's wrong with him?" Evan asked.
⠀⠀"I just don't see it going anywhere. And frankly, he's a little boring," Laurel replied. "He's a great guy but..."
⠀⠀"You should break up with him then," Asher said.
⠀⠀"I will," Laurel said, in a slightly annoyed tone, putting her bowl down. "He literally asked me to meet his parents yesterday in two weeks and I put it off and almost argued with him about it because in truth, I don't want to. I don't want anything to do with him anymore."
⠀⠀The room fell silent in her realization. She hadn't noticed the reality of her thoughts until that moment, when she had spoken it out into the empty air to her friends.
⠀⠀"Then don't," Asher said.
⠀⠀Laurel let out a deep breath. "I know. I also got a letter yesterday from James."
⠀⠀"JAMES?" Dominique shouted. It was her turn to slam her bowl down. Everyone else put their bowls down too, except Callen, who already knew beforehand. "My COUSIN?"
⠀⠀"Yes," Laurel answered, summoning it with a wave of her wand from her coat pocket. "I'll read it to you." So she did, finally putting it down when she finished, staring at her friends' shocked faces.
⠀⠀"What the fuck?" Evan asked, very quietly. The hurt was written all over his face. "Why did he write to you? Like that? And not to the rest of us?" Callen reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze.
⠀⠀Asher simply finished his entire glass of wine, waving his wand for the bottle to fill it up for more. "Fuck him. Don't go."
⠀⠀"Maybe it's a sign," Callen said.
⠀⠀"A sign for what?" Dominique asked. "It's obviously fake. Why would he be in New York?"
⠀⠀"A sign that Laurel should break up with Phillip and go to New York," Callen reasoned. "I'm sure he'll explain everything then."
⠀⠀"But how do we know it's him?" Asher asked, echoing Dominique's thoughts.
⠀⠀"It's his handwriting," Laurel answered. "And trust me, I think I'd know."
⠀⠀They sat there in silence for a little longer, quietly nibbling on their food as they tried to think of what to do.
⠀⠀"I think you should go," Evan finally piped up. Everyone looked at him. His brown eyes were churning with a controlled anger Laurel forgot that he could have. "He has always listened to you, Laury, and you've always listened to him."
⠀⠀"Keep your wits about you though," Callen added.
⠀⠀"I don't think it's a good idea," Asher countered in an urgent manner. He looked at Laurel. "Do you want to go?"
⠀⠀Laurel sighed. She knew, deep down in her heart that she was still very much in love with James. Of course she wanted to go. She looked at her friends, all of whom had very mixed emotions across their faces. Her mouth opened to speak, but she couldn't find the words. James was always the wordsmith out of all of them. Her heart stirred at that thought. James.
⠀⠀"You still love him, don't you?" Dominique asked quietly, reaching over to hold Laurel's hand. Laurel looked at Dominique, biting her tongue to keep the tears from coming, nodding her head.
⠀⠀"Fuck," Asher said, more so to himself, running his fingers through his hair. "Then I think you should go."
⠀⠀"What if he already has someone?" Laurel blurted out, her anxiety piling on. "What if after all these years, he doesn't want me anymore? What if this is purely professional and I'm going for nothing other than my career?"
⠀⠀"Well, if you're only going for your career and it's purely professional, then so be it," Dominique said, reassuringly. "Whether or not you get him in the end doesn't define you."
⠀⠀"Besides, he reached out to you like this," Asher added. "If he's the James we knew, he doesn't go that far out of his way just for professional reasons, Laurel."
⠀⠀Laurel sighed and took another sip of her wine, her eyes trained on the rim of the glass. She didn't realize how much she had missed him until this moment. A pang of guilt hit her then, coming from nowhere. She felt like she was cheating on Philip. But she was already over him, right?
⠀⠀Running her finger along the edge of her glass, she looked at her friends again. "Deputy Bell gave me a top secret case happening in New York."
⠀⠀"Top secret?" Callen asked, adjusting her glasses. "You mean the one I brought this morning?"
⠀⠀Laurel nodded. "She thinks I should go. I have a feeling James filed it."
⠀⠀"Well," Dominique said, "we can't be sure. But this is good for your career."
⠀⠀"And an excuse to get away from Philip," Evan chimed in, smiling like a devil.
⠀⠀"She's breaking up with him regardless," Asher said, chuckling.
⠀⠀Laurel didn't respond, drinking the rest of her wine with a single swig. She put her cup back down and watched the bottle of wine magically fill her cup again. Taking a sip, she could feel the warmth of the liquor seep into her cheeks, muddling her senses.
⠀⠀Everything was pointing her towards New York. Her loss of feelings for her boyfriend. Bell's top secret case sitting in her bag at home. Her family and friends telling her to go. His personal letter to her. Laurel downed another long gulp of wine, so quickly it stung her throat.
⠀⠀"I'll go," she said after putting her cup down, wiping her mouth sloppily. "Let's hope he didn't get married to someone while he left us here." She slurred her last few words.
⠀⠀Her friends stared at her, Callen reaching for Laurel's glass and taking it away slowly.
⠀⠀"A bit too much to drink, Laury?" Callen asked gently.
⠀⠀"That was literally my third glass," Laurel protested, reaching for the glass in Callen's hand. Callen didn't let her touch it.
⠀⠀"Yeah and you've always been a lightweight," Dominique said, like a stern mother. "Quit it before you throw up everywhere."
⠀⠀Laurel chuckled at the incident Dominique was referring to. It was the night that James disappeared on then without a trace. Laurel had heard the news from Evan and had almost fallen apart in her apartment. That night she got insanely drunk, for a reason even her drunk self couldn't seem to figure out, Disapparating to Dominique's flat. Her liquor-filled stomach couldn't handle Apparition and so she threw up the minute she appeared at Dominique's front door. She then proceeded to sob the entire night while Dominique consoled her and cleaned up the vomit.
⠀⠀Now she knew why she got drunk that night. James Potter had broken her heart. And now, she knew, by going to New York, she was giving him the chance to do that again.
⠀⠀She was relying on the chance that he wouldn't.