Old Habits [Phoebe]

[Professor James W. Boreal]

The atrium of the Ministry embraced James with the familiar blend of enchanting chaos. The polished marble floors echoed the hurried footsteps of wizards and witches, each embroiled in the daily grind of magical bureaucracy. It was like stepping into a sepia-toned memory, the ghosts of his past whispering through the lively fuss of the space.

As the lift moved to Level 2, James couldn't escape the pull of nostalgia. He found himself lost in the shadowy recesses of his own history, each floor a marker of the highs and lows he had experienced within the Ministry's embrace. The golden days of Auror missions, the camaraderie that came with danger, and the tense moments of unraveling dark plots—all etched into the very stones of those walls. It was a journey back in time, a reflection on the choices that had led him away and the magnetic force that brought him back. 

The hallways of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement greeted him like old friends, the portraits of stern-faced wizards watching over the ebb and flow of Ministry life. His steps, measured and purposeful, wove through the maze of memories. A sly grin played on his lips as he recalled the daring escapades and the relentless pursuit of justice that once defined his existence. He felt a weird sensation in his body as if all the bruises and marks he had were aching at the same time, reacting to their environement.

Approaching Phoebe's office door, adorned with a subtle elegance, he took a moment to steady his breath. His knuckles rapped gently against the wood, a rhythmic beat that echoed through the other side. The anticipation of rekindling a connection from the past danced in his eyes as he awaited the response, a reunion tinged with the magic of shared history. The years had been both kind and demanding, pulling them into separate realms of duty and responsibility. The sheer weight of time made this meeting not just a casual catch-up but a poignant reflection on the twists and turns that had shaped their individual journeys.

"May I?"

[Pheobe Davis]

Pheobe was so enraptured in her work that she jumped out of her chair a good bit when someone knocked on her door. Taking a deep breath and smirking at herself, she stood and walked to the door, opening it to find James Boreal of all people standing in her doorway. "Always! You scared the hell out of me, I was hyper focused on paperwork my dear fiance keeps ignoring..." That was one thing Angel sucked at. Filing the reports that crossed his desk.

She walked back to her desk and sat down, gesturing for James to take a seat on the other side in one of the plush chairs she had demanded be put in her office. They had originally been in Angel's, but given he was out of the office for a week every month due to his 'furry problem', they were wasted in there. And everyone came to her anyways. Long before she'd even swapped spots with Hermione and benched herself on a more permanent basis.

"What brings you back to this hell hole? Teaching not all it's cracked up to be anymore?"

[Professor James W. Boreal]

James grinned as Phoebe recovered from the surprise, finding amusement in the fact that he managed to startle her even with a gentle knock.

"Sorry about that. Seems like paperwork is haunting us both these days." He took the offered seat, appreciating the comfort of the plush chair. "Teaching has its moments, but it's always fun to revisit the Ministry chaos."

He leaned back, resting one leg over the other's knee. "Actually, I came by to catch up and maybe steal a bit of your wisdom and perhaps ease your burden of dealing with the bureaucratic madness, for a moment", he continued, looking around Phoebe's office at all the files and documents either piled up or flying around to and from other offices. "Hogwarts is more straightforward, I must admit." Which was true, but it could also feel restrained by the fact that you were dealing with adolescents, with all that entailed. And so discussing things with colleagues was always informed by their context, and James felt that sometimes it hindered his own vision.

Throughout their years knowing and working together he had always counted on Phoebe to give him an honest answer though, and so he was glad he could find some time to re-ignite their past conversations.

James glanced around the office, noting the subtle changes Phoebe had made to make it her own. "Your office feels cozier than Angel's that's for sure. How's life in the magical law enforcement trenches treating you?"

[Pheobe Davis]

Pheobe chuckled at the ministry chaos comment. "Go visit Charlie's floor if you want true chaos. Mini dragons flying around would drive me crazier than I am. I'll take our memo chaos from when we were training over the mini dragons any day." Her brother's floor was riddled with miniatures of the dragons they managed, and they breathed fire too. Most of her memos down there came back singed from the little fire breathers.

"Me? Wisdom? Ha! And I'll take this madness over Peeves and hormonal teenagers any day of the week. Our time there was bad enough." Pheobe shook her head laughing at the thought of dealing with teenagers, especially her niece Missy on a daily basis as a professor. "I'll gladly take the distraction from the paperwork though."

At the mention of hers feeling cozier than Angel's, she smirked. "I stole those chairs from his office originally. Nobody was going in his office when Hermione was here, they're all too scared of him. So I swiped the chairs and told him deal with it because everyone comes to me even when he's here. He doesn't get he's a scary person when people don't really know him like we do."

[Professor James W. Boreal]

James' dimple appeared on his cheek as he smiled at the mention of Charlie's floor, his mind briefly conjuring images of miniature dragons wreaking havoc. "I'll trust your judgment on that one. Dealing with dragons is enough excitement for me."

He nodded, acknowledging the different but still demanding challenges of Hogwarts. "Certainly, but Peeves and hormones have their unique way of keeping things lively. Well, hormones not only with teenagers, too", he laughed. "I mean, obviously a classroom full of Missys is not easy, but neither is one single Callisto.", he knew the remark would generate both an eyeroll and a smile from her, "So for now I'm taking my chances with the teens. Plus, it's honestly fulfilling in a way chasing dark wizards could never be.", he confessed.

Leaning in slightly, he raised an intrigued eyebrow at Phoebe's chair 'heist'. "Bold move, but I suppose desperate times call for desperate measures. Looks like it paid off, you've got the coziest spot in the Ministry." A wry grin played on his lips, appreciating the pragmatic side of her actions. "So, any thrilling developments in the magical law enforcement world? Or is it the usual delightful mix of chaos and paperwork?", he asked, hoping she appreciated his shop-talk curiosity and wouldn't shoot down his inquiry with some "classified" excuse.

[Pheobe Davis]

"Better the chaos you know." Her brother's floor was enough of a mess, she wasn't willing to try to figure out how to manage it. It was bad enough she had to go to different floors every now and then to get reports or correlate something that went into a report.

James, ever the smart ass. "Dare you to say that to her now she's pregnant. Wana talk about hormones? She's a banshee at the drop of a hat according to Stefan. He's pretty much ready to barricade her in her office and she's only in her first trimester." She laughed at the challenge she issued to her former co-worker. No one was dumb enough to go pissing Cal off on a good day, and lately, there were few of those. "I'm glad you found yourself something fulfilling though, I really am. It also keeps you in one spot, no more disappearing into thin air on assignment anymore."

Pheobe chuckled at the 'coziest spot' remark. "Considering Angel knows I'll happily put him in the dog house if he challenges me in any way I don't like, I don't think I'll get told off for heisting his chairs. So since I'm basically permanently benched, I may as well have a comfortable office."

At the question of thrilling developments, Pheobe smirked. "Well, we've had some weird shit happening lately. Something with claws is going around slashing people across France and Spain lately, a few incidents here, but sadly very few survivors. We've got a few of the younger kids working on what it could be. They came up with some sort of glove type thing with claws for fingers." They'd been unable to confirm anything yet, but they were getting close. "Wolves are getting blamed, because this stuff is happening on a full moon usually, but the wounds are cauterized, so we know it can't be a wolf."

[Professor James W. Boreal]

A wry smile played on his lips as he listened to Phoebe recounting the peculiar incidents involving mysterious claw attacks in France and Spain. It was a strange case, reminiscent of a mystery novel that could captivate the imagination of even the most seasoned wizard. As Phoebe shared the involvement of young colleagues in the investigation, James nodded in appreciation. The image of enthusiastic young witches and wizards working on a magical glove, attempting to crack the case, painted a vivid picture in his mind. "Oh so we're doing bad-Gilderoy Lockhart-novel level crimes now?", he joked.


Leaning back in the plush chair, James allowed a thoughtful expression to cross his face. The stability of his current role had its merits, particularly with the news of Callisto's impending parenthood. Foreseeing the adventure and chaos that awaited the fiery witch. Parenthood, with its unpredictable twists, was something he had experienced firsthand but the thought of Calli changing diapers made him chuckle. "Yes well, she didn't complain when she made it, I'm sure."

The conversation pivoted back to the mysterious attacks, and James couldn't hide his intrigue. The cauterized wounds on a full moon presented quite the puzzle. As Phoebe detailed the investigations, his mind delved into the possibilities. A new magical creature, dark magic, or perhaps an enigmatic combination of both? That world still held mysteries that enticed the former auror's instincts. James found himself once again drawn into it. The allure of unsolved mysteries and the collaborative efforts of the wizarding community hinted at something he hadn't entirely left behind. "Anything I can help with?"

[Pheobe Davis]

Pheobe laughed when James compared the chaos they'd all been suffering lately to a bad Lockhart novel. "I wish it was that easy! We've been dealing with stopping riots happening here demanding wolves be locked up permanently at all times. It's mostly the old Death Eaters and their ilk that are starting that shit though, so that's easily enough to squash by threatening to lock them up instead for their war crimes." Sometimes the purists drove her up the wall.

James had jokes today, which was refreshing. "I highly doubt that, but she's not complaining right now. She's just not in control of her emotions as much as she used to be. I haven't seen her in a couple of weeks, but I'll probably swing by when I get home later and check to make sure she hasn't eaten David yet."

Pheobe shrugged when James offered help with their headache in the office. "Not that I can think of off the top of my head. Unless you want to bring Noah in here to terrorize everyone for a day. That might give everyone some amusement." The thought of the boy running amuck around the department was something that made her smile. She used to let Missy do the same when the girl was Noah's age, and Missy had Pollux's beasts to watch over her, so of course she learned who was on what floor and made the rounds.

Pulling a leg up under her, Pheobe adjusted herself in her chair and leaned back a little. "So other than being bored enough to come see me, what else has been going on with you lately? Make an honest woman out of Lyn yet?"

[Professor James W. Boreal]

Jay chuckled at Phoebe's description of the chaos, shaking his head. "Ah, them. Always finding a cause to champion, no matter how absurd.", he remarked, appreciating the pragmatism in dealing with such issues. "Well you know how I feel about that, one of them roaming about is one too many."

A grin tugged at the corner of his lips as Phoebe mentioned Callisto's unpredictable emotional state. "Well, the joyous rollercoaster of pregnancy. Remind me to send my condolences to David. " he quipped, envisioning the poor man trying to navigate through Callisto's changing moods. "Although if you consider her to be in control of her emotions before, well I might not want to even think about her now.", he laughed out loud this time.

The suggestion of bringing Noah into the office for a day of chaos drew a hearty laugh from James. "Now that's an idea! I'm sure this building could use a dose of Noah's boundless energy and innocent mischief. It might just lighten the mood around here," he said.

James pondered Phoebe's question. "Well, nothing too out of the ordinary. I can't complain, really.", he started, before correcting himself - "Well, I shouldn't complain, at least, but if there's anything you and I both do to each other is precisely that.", he confessed. In truth it was exactly why he had come to her, the ability to be open about things with her, perhaps in a way he wasn't able to with any other woman without something... other... between them, which was refreshing. "It's just difficult sometimes to get a sense of what's the right way to go about in taking action when you're dealing with teenagers." James had always striven to be righteous and honest and kind in everything she did, but the patch wasn't as clear when you had to navigate the "proper" way of doing things due to dealing with adolescent minds and the risk of teaching them the wrong way.

"And as for Lyn, don't you worry, we're fine as it is. Just because Angel decided to make one out of you doesn't mean the rest of us need to follow suit" he replied with a thoughtful smile, his mind briefly wandering to Lyn's voluminous curls.

[Pheobe Davis]

Pheobe nodded in agreement at James' comment about one Death Eater out roaming was too many. "They're lucky they're not locked up already for what they did during the first war we had. Nevermind the stunts they pulled during the second one."

"Pregnant werewolves aren't exactly fun. If I recall, when Lynnie was pregnant, your name was cursed several times an hour towards the end." She knew her sister would be a handful during the next few months, but Lynnie was a newly turned werewolf when she was pregnant, Cal's furry problem had been around for a lot longer.

Pheobe smirked at James' laugh about Noah running amuck. "We used to let Missy do it all the time. Zeus and Hades would stick to her like glue, so we didn't have to worry about anyone messing with her. She'd make the rounds every day and go see whoever she wanted to see. But then again, no ones going to mess with two hell hounds, let alone her werewolf uncle should they mess with a child."

At the mention of complaining to James, Pheobe shrugged. "We were partners for how long? If partners can't complain to one another, who can they complain to? You become friends or you don't get to be partners. Friends complain to one another. It's part of the job." She wasn't ashamed to admit that they complained to each other when they worked together.

"Dealing with teens is never easy. It's part of why I'm glad Missy's at Hogwarts and not home. I don't think Angel could handle it. I'm waiting for the day she brings a boy home. He already hit the roof with Steff, Cal's adopted kid. And she's a grown ass adult now."

The jab about Angel making an honest woman out of her had her laughing and putting a hand over her heart, acting wounded. "Ouch Jay, just ouch! And mind you, it took me years to say yes to his sorry ass. And I STILL haven't set a damned date or said 'I do' either." She stuck her tongue out at her friend playfully, just for emphasis.

[Professor James W. Boreal]

The weight of history was surely a burden with Death Eaters casting a long shadow over any attempts at redemption. "You'd think they'd have learned their lesson, too", he shrugged, a hint of frustration in his voice.

"I suppose I had it coming with Lyn, considering our history." He chuckled, recalling the times he had inadvertently crossed paths with the less friendly kind of werewolves. "Well, if Calli ever needs someone who understands, you know where to find me: as far away from her as possible." he closed with a smile.

The mention of Missy's adventurous rounds with Zeus and Hades brought a nostalgic smile to James's face. "That must have been hilarious, huh?" he said, going from that to reminiscing about their time working together. "It's good that some things can remain constant. The world's a different place now.", he pondered, reflecting on the camaraderie they shared during their partnership. "And I agree, friends complain to each other. Keeps the balance."

The mention of Angel's reaction to potential suitors had James chuckling. "Ah, the protective uncle routine. Classic."

He feigned a wounded expression at Phoebe's playful response to his comment about Angel making an honest woman out of her. "My apologies, Phoeebs. I'll try not to hit too close to home next time," he teased, a twinkle in his eye. "But whenever you decide on that date, I'm sure it'll be an event to remember."

"At any rate," he continued, "What I mean to say is that I'm here if you need any help with those affairs in Europe. I've still some contacts in France, I reckon." He kept correspondence with myriad wizards and witches everywhere after his extensive work around the world. "Although none have mentioned anything like what you explained."

Things always seemed to find a way of happening all at once, it seemed. As soon as he had a couple more headaches with his own problems and decided to come visit an old friend for council, trouble already appeared to be brewing on her end as well.

[Pheobe Davis]

"You'd think right?!" Some people just never learned their lessons apparently. Even with the ring leaders like Lucius Malfoy still locked up, people always found something to persecute and make a fuss about.

Pheobe laughed at the comment of finding her former partner as far away from her pregnant sister as possible. "I think she'll be okay, David's got patience with her, if no one else. Stefan can handle her if need be too, so I think at work she's safe with both of them around."

"It's always funny watching people freak out about a hell hound or two running around these floors. Pollux has been here for years now and people still freak when they see the dogs. Then they don't bat an eye at the mini dragons when they escape and wreak havok everywhere. I'm waiting for the day Cole loses track of the twins and I find them coming up here to raid my candy drawer." Her niece and nephew could be a handful for their mother, but they were watched closely enough that they stayed out of trouble.

Pheobe nodded at the protective uncle bit. "You know him. Papa bear to the end with his girls." Angel had been protective of his baby sister Drusilla too, so it made sense he was protective over Steff and Missy now too.

She snorted when James commented that her wedding would be an event to remember. "Considering he's disagreeing on everything with me, that won't be happening for a while. He wants to have final say but anything I come up with he doesn't like. So I've taken a break for a bit to not kill him."

"They've been keeping it hush hush lately because they don't want to stir up a panic in the public eye. A few muggles have been... I guess the word would be mauled... Here in the UK. The muggles have been chucking it up to rabid dogs or something last I bothered to check. But any info you can find out, even a pattern if someone sees one, would be helpful. We're kind of at a stand still. The kids came up with the glove thing, but we haven't found it in the vaults." She pushed a hand through her hair, scratching the back of her head before sighing heavily. "So how bad is teaching life? As bad as being benched here doing reports twenty-four seven?"

[Professor James W. Boreal]

The image of Cole oblivious to the twins raiding Phoebe's office brought a smile to James' face. "I'd pay good coin to see those two wreaking havoc in your office," he chuckled.

The wedding planning struggles elicited another amused expression from James. "Ah, the joyous rollercoaster of coordinating events.", he said alluding to his earlier mention of pregnancy, "Come on now, next to what you've faced, a wedding shouldn't be that challenging," he teased, imagining how much of a headache it actually probably was.

Her detailing of the mysterious attacks on muggles caught James' interest. "That's a cause for concern, indeed. I'll reach out to my contacts and see if there have been any developments there. With luck, we might uncover a pattern or some leads. I'll keep you posted.", he promised

"Well actually, it's surprisingly light on paperwork except for the exams and some homework grading.", he explained. At least it was in his subject, or rather in the way he taught it. "It has its own set of challenges, but right now I wouldn't trade it for the world, I think. It's rewarding in its own way, though it does make me appreciate the simpler times of chasing dark wizards. At least they were straightforward in their malevolence," he joked.

"Seriously though, it's tough sometimes with these over-eager kids.", he continued, "They want to much to fast, and you can't help but remember when you were their age and were exactly the same, but you also have the perspective now and have to try to infuse them with it a bit, without stopping their ambitions short.", he explained. It was a difficult balance to be struck between teaching what they were supposed to be learning with what he felt they ought to. His mind wandered through a few specific cases of students who were hard, but so fun at the same time for that very reason.

[Pheobe Davis]

Pheobe couldn't help but chuckle. "No, you'd pay good money to watch Pollux panic where his kids went." Her brother watched those toddlers like a hawk, but given Colette almost died having them, she couldn't blame them. They were probably the only kids he was having.

"Says the man who won't get married it seems. Now you see why I turned him down for so damned long?!" Angel was driving her nuts with the wedding plans, and she was starting to regret saying yes to the asshat. "If you ever marry Lynnie and tell her to plan it, say yes to whatever she wants unless it's a hard no. Don't just be difficult like he's being."

Pheobe sighed in relief when James said he'd get hold of his contacts for her. "That's what I'm most worried about, the damned muggles making a scene and then we've got exposure problems. It'd be another round of war and none of us want that. Ever." Their secrecy was the most important thing to them in their world. The one thing everyone had to agree on. That their world be kept seperate from the non-magical one and hidden as well.

At the mention of paperwork, Pheobe smirked with a good comparison popping into her head. "Only comparison, we both have to deal with bad handwriting." She listened as James told her the hardship with dealing with kids, especially ones that weren't your own. "Biggest problem I would have teaching, is I treat everyones kids like they're mine. A lot of people have no problem with it, but some have a problem with it. I wouldn't be able to seperate out the ones that I can treat like my kid and the ones I have to keep at arms length without difficulties. I'd get too attached."

[Professor James W. Boreal]

"It might be worth the price, too!" James retorted, a playful glint in his eye. The protective instincts of parents, especially new ones, were always entertaining to witness.

He chuckled at Phoebe's comment about marriage. "Touché. Maybe I'll learn from your sage advice when the time comes, or maybe I'll keep being the stubborn one," he said, humour lacing his words. "But thanks for the heads up. I'll be sure to remember it."

James nodded in understanding about the exposure concerns. "Secrecy is our best shield. Let's hope your team finds a solution soon."

The comparison between their respective paperwork struggles drew a genuine laugh from James. "Bad handwriting is the universal challenge, it seems. Maybe we need to offer a course on legible spellwork."

Phoebe's insight into her teaching philosophy and the potential attachment to all students resonated with James. "I can see how that would be a challenge. It's a fine line to walk, being both nurturing and objective. The attachment is inevitable, but it also makes the victories more rewarding. You'd be a great teacher, Phoeebs, with your heart in it," he complimented, a sincere tone underlying his words.