fortxalice

[fortxalice]

It might be naive of Alice to think but she refused to believe that violence made anything better. If all we did was answer violence with more violence what made us any different than a Death Eater? Of course, Alice did know how to duel and was pretty darn proficient at it, but it wasn’t what she resorted to first. “If you ever want a lesson on the more subtle aspects of being an Auror let me know.” She smiled. “Sneaking can be pretty fun.”

fortxalice·:

“Now your just sucking up.” She teased. Alice was very proud of Frank, he was one of the youngest Auror’s ever asked to teach and he definitely deserved it, he was so determined and loved helping people. Which was part of the reason she loved him so much. Alice raised an eyebrow “Dueling? So predictable! ” she wasn’t surprised by the answer, most of the male Aurors loved to duel - something to do with the rush of adrenaline, competition, and male ego. “You know dueling doesn’t solve every problem right?” she said half-jokingly half-serious.

“I would agree with you if it wasn’t the truth.” He commented with a small laugh. James knew that the people around him were the best of the best, which is why he was more than ready for his training. “Well, of course there is more to it, but it’s still fun. Plus, who doesn’t love to make their dueling skills better. Feel more confident about going out on missions.” 

[fortxalice]

She did not seem to want to speak, or perhaps she was not able to, but she made timid motions towards Neville, holding something in her outstretched hand.

[fortxalice]

During there days at Hogwarts, she had had to turn a blind eye more than once at Sirius antics, he was lucky to have friends like Remus who did there best to keep him out of trouble. “Your a good friend to say that.” she smiled. Alice could see the appeal, she missed it, Hogwarts with everyone in the same place, under the same roof where she could watch out for them. “I’ve been good... keeping busy, you know. The Ministry has me traveling a lot.”  She had been traveling up and down the coast since the incident, gathering information for the Ministry and recruiting for the Order as she went, neither of which she could talk about in the open. “Frank’s good he’s teaching the next Generation of Aurors, wiping delinquents like Potter into shape.” she laughed a little. It had been hard to be away from him so much but it meant coming home was that much more fun. 

fortxalice‌:

It was nice to see Remus laugh, to just joke around with a friend- everything was so serious lately she missed this. Just two friends catching up - talking about life and not how the world not ending. “You and Sirius, seriously?” She teased taking another sip of her drink. Sirius was trouble or more trouble seemed to find him constantly, which was apart of his charm or so he liked to tell everyone. “You must have your hands full, keeping Sirius out of trouble is a full-time job.”

Remus smiled, sure him and Sirius seemed like the least likely roommates out of the four of them, it was definitely nice to know one of his best friends was safe at home with him. “Sirius is a big boy, he can keep himself out of trouble.” Although everyone that knew Sirius, knew he would never stay out of trouble. It was just a part of his nature to go against the grain. “It’s nice, though. Knowing I have one of my best friends at home. At least I can keep a close eye on him. How is everything with you? And how is Frank?”

[fortxalice]

Alice offered a small smile, a gesture of reassurance, “Cheers...” She paused for a moment it was hard to find something positive out of what had happened but Alice always tried. There was always a silver lining, always hope. “...to tomorrow being better than today.”  She took a sip and placed it down in front of her. As the liquid warmed her from the inside she realised how cold she was. Her cloak had a least five inches of mud on the end of it from traipsing up and down the countryside, she pulled it off and draped in on a nearby chair. “Half of the countries mud seems to have ended up on the bottom of my cloak.” She joked trying the cheer up Lily a little but she could see the news had hit her hard like it had hit all of them. Though the death hurt, it was more than that that had everyone shaken up - it was the unknown of what would happen next. “How are you holding up?”

fortxalice‌:

It had been a long day. The longest she could remember since becoming an Auror. The news had spread through the Ministry like dragons fire and all on-duty Aurors had been sent out immediately to try and gather any leads from there informants. For Alice, this meant she had spent most of the day traveling up and down the coast reaching out to her Merpeople contacts. They had gossip however no one would say enough or knew enough to point her in a solid direction. She apparted back to London to find herself in a bar. As she walked in she saw a familiar red hed across the way. Alice went straight for the bartender and order two Fire Whiskeys. “You looked like you needed one of these” Alice said placing down the drink in front of Lily.

SLENDER FINGERS WRAPPED AROUND the offered drink a tad firmer than usual, inviting the chill radiating from the glass. her gaze flickered upwards, acknowledging the words spoken to her. Seeing the familiar face she could feel the initial shock slowly retreating, there was just something calming and reassuring about the blonde. Or it could be that Lily was just desperate for any kind of reminder of the old, simpler times. “Thank you.” The smile she offered was friendly, though laced with unwashed sadness from hearing the news. “You know me well .” 

[fortxalice]

Courage is not the abscene of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.

[fortxalice]

Alice found herself at the Leaky Cauldron once again. She liked the warmth that it offered - the feeling that maybe things weren't so bad. That maybe you could still just go out for a drink with your friends and the biggest decision you had was what to drink next. Alice had come here after work with a few other Aurors and it was her round, as she got to the bar to order, she heard a familiar voice call out. She didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. "Shouldn't you be off tackling something or whatever Hit Wizard's do?" She turned around with a smirk on her face to see Gideon - he had the same scruffy hair and cheeky smile she remembered which was so familiar but he also seemed different too somehow but she couldn't quiet put her finger on what it was. Alice reached towards a bruise on his arm. "Let me guess... whoever has the most bruises is the toughest of them all?" There was a small rivalry between Aurors and Hit Wizards, so she couldn't help but tease but only half-heartedly. The more she looked the more bruises she saw and the smile dropped off her face. "You really need to take better care of yourself, Gideon."

It had been a long day of training. Gideon didn’t mind it usually, at least not at the time. It was only later that the aches settled in his bones and he began to notice all the new bruises that seemed to show up on his skin every day. Still, despite the tiredness, he did enjoy it. He had made his way to Leaky Couldron because he didn’t want to return to his apartment just yet and was in dire need of a drink. He was on his second drink of the night when someone sat down next to him and he took knocked his shot back before turning to them with a small grin, “Fancy a drink?”

[fortxalice]

"Now your just sucking up." She teased. Alice was very proud of Frank, he was one of the youngest Auror's ever asked to teach and he definitely deserved it, he was so determined and loved helping people. Which was part of the reason she loved him so much. Alice raised an eyebrow "Dueling? So predictable! " she wasn't surprised by the answer, most of the male Aurors loved to duel - something to do with the rush of adrenaline, competition, and male ego. "You know dueling doesn't solve every problem right?" she said half-jokingly half-serious.

fortxalice·:

“Well it’s called teaching Potter.” she smirked putting her wand in her cloak “We all had to start at the bottom and work our way up. It builds character.” Alice remembered her first year out of Hogwarts learning to be an Auror. It was terrifying and tough but also the best time of her life. “What’s your favourite thing so far?”

“Well, I guess I should just be happy that we’ve got some of the best teachers out there.” James knew he had the best teachers he could ask for, especially with the Aurors that worked in their department. “Hm, honestly I would have to so the dueling is probably the most fun. Getting to learn how to act in a proper fight.” 

[fortxalice]

It was nice to see Remus laugh, to just joke around with a friend- everything was so serious lately she missed this. Just two friends catching up - talking about life and not how the world not ending. "You and Sirius, seriously?" She teased taking another sip of her drink. Sirius was trouble or more trouble seemed to find him constantly, which was apart of his charm or so he liked to tell everyone. "You must have your hands full, keeping Sirius out of trouble is a full-time job."

fortxalice‌:

“Very true. I’m surprised the whole wizarding community isn’t here getting blasted with us. At least then we’d know where everyone was. Get every wasted - it could be the answers to all our problems.” She joked, though somehow it didn’t seem like the worst idea in the world. Maybe not the getting everyone drunk part, but having everyone in the same place so maybe they could talk it out. Alice knew it was a naive thought to have but she couldn’t help being just a little hopeful. “How is everything with you Remus, since Graduation? I’ve seen James and Peter around a bit of the Ministry but haven’t really heard from you.”

Remus let out a small laugh at Alice’s words. She was always so optimistic, it was really a nice breath of fresh air to be around someone like her. “Would definitely make for an interesting evening.” The thought of the entire wizarding community in one room was a scary thought to Remus. Of course he assumed Alice figured it would be a lovely chat where everyone talked about their feelings, but he knew that was far from the truth of what would actually happen. Smiling slightly at her question, Remus slid his chair a little closer to her so he could hear her a little better, the chattering of the bar had gotten a little loud. “Not a whole lot, really. Trying my best to lay low. Sirius and I are living together, although I think I would consider myself more of a live-in nanny.”

[fortxalice]

“We live in a society because we need each other. People need people. It can be tiring to deal with others; especially the ones you disagree with. Those who think differently from you. In a peaceful society with equal rights, we have to manage to listen to, and try to understand one another. Perhaps it’s easier to understand if we focus on what we have in common rather than the differences. Look for what we agree with, instead of what we disagree with. Maybe, if we see the worst in others, it is exactly that what they’ll show us.”

[fortxalice]

"Very true. I'm surprised the whole wizarding community isn't here getting blasted with us. At least then we'd know where everyone was. Get every wasted - it could be the answers to all our problems." She joked, though somehow it didn't seem like the worst idea in the world. Maybe not the getting everyone drunk part, but having everyone in the same place so maybe they could talk it out. Alice knew it was a naive thought to have but she couldn't help being just a little hopeful. "How is everything with you Remus, since Graduation? I've seen James and Peter around a bit of the Ministry but haven't really heard from you."

[fortxalice]

"Cheers to the end of the week, and next week being better?" Alice smiled half-heartedly back at Emmeline as she raised towards hers. Emmeline was a few years older than Alice and she was as tough as they come. Alice has always admired her if she could become even half the Auror that Emmeline was she would be very happy. "How have you been with everything? I haven't seen you since the incident."

[fortxalice]

Alice couldn't even remember how she got here. After she had finished her day at the Ministry she had just walked out and here legs had carried her straight to the Leaky Cauldron and before she even realized where she was she had sat down ordered a drink. As her drink arrived she noticed a familiar face next to her. “I’ve had a horrid week, what's your excuse?” 

[fortxalice]

They were Aurors, you know, and very well respected within the Wizarding community. Highly gifted, the pair of them […] The Longbottoms were very popular. The attacks on them came after Voldemort’s fall from power, just when everyone thought they were safe. Those attacks caused a wave of fury such as I have never known.

[fortxalice]

Alice grinned at Pandora. "Aliens? Surely something like fairies is more believable!" she followed behind Pandora into her home, something about the mix of baked goods and herbs relaxed her immediately. Nothing had really changed since the last time she had been here. "And hello to you Opal." She unwrapped her scarf and hung it on a chair. "I could never say no to your sponge cake," she replied as she gave Opal a quick scratch behind her ears. "And tea would be lovely - if it's not too much bother." It would be so nice if they could sit and have tea and just gossip about the mundane moments of there lives. However, nothing was that simple anymore. "How have you been Pandora? Been keeping up with the news?"

[fortxalice]

People experience horrible things every day and they still manage to be nice to others. Being an asshole is not something you’re born with or something you become. It’s a choice.

[fortxalice]

Alice had always been able to tell what people were really feeling. It was her gift, during her years at Hogwarts it meant that she was somewhat of a mother hen taking people under her wing. Now that she was an Auror she used it in more practical ways to tell when people were lying to her. She could tell that Peter didn’t really want to talk about how he was feeling - nine times out of ten when someone said they were fine they were anything but. “If you would like some sleeping draught - Aurors have a special stash?”

  The wizarding world felt like it had been shattered by the murder and that everyone at the ministry was scrambling to pick up the pieces. “It’s been a long few weeks and I don’t think anyone is really ok. I mean how could they be?” She said a shake in her voice. It made her angry that someone could have done this. Murdered such a beloved member of the community and that certain families were supporting this. It was a terrifying prospect of a future. 

fortxalice‌:

Since the news had hit - everything had been a frenzy. There was this heightened energy in the air. It was like right before a storm however people weren’t sure if the storm would bring well-needed rain or a lightning strike that will start an uncontrollable fire. Everyone was in overdrive but no department was in more overdrive than the Aurors. Everyone else was on them wanting answers. But when the suspects were potentially anyone - your neighbor, your colleague or even your best friend there were no simple answers.

Alice had come out for some air and had found herself just watching the Muggles as they went past. Just going about there every day. So simple and easy. And how their world would turn upside down if they couldn’t stop the storm. A figured appeared next to her panting. She recognised the boy from her days at Hogwarts. “Peter?” she said wiping some blonde hair out of her face. “You look positively dreadful. Are you alright?” Peter looked just about how Alice felt exhausted by the whole mess of it all.

Peter tried not to be so nervous all the time, he really did… his friends always told him he needed to be more confident and he was actually managing in his work place, he even said hello to some people now but, this madness was beyond what he felt he could cope with. Everyone else was jolting about as scared as he was and it was simply too much. He couldn’t imagine how people like Alice coped in the Auror department… It had to be even worse there.

“N-no, iI’m fine.” he said quietly, jerking his head up and down, fingers curling into his overly long sleeves and pulling at the fabric there, “Just umm… Not sleeping very well.” he told her before shaking his head, “M-must be awful where you are though.” He worked in the Law department but as a clerical officer, far away from the Auror area. “A-are you alright?” He’d rather they didn’t focus on him, no good ever came from that. “Things m-must be really hard at the moment…”  

[fortxalice]

"Well it's called teaching Potter." she smirked putting her wand in her cloak "We all had to start at the bottom and work our way up. It builds character." Alice remembered her first year out of Hogwarts learning to be an Auror. It was terrifying and tough but also the best time of her life. "What's your favourite thing so far?"

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Alice giggled at the state of James. “As long as Frank doesn’t come home with a black eye again you can do whatever you want in ‘training’” She got at her wand and gestured towards his face. “Shall I fix the situation?” 

“Come on now! You and I both know Frank is the one showing us up in training. Making sure us rookies don’t get to big headed before we’ve even officially made it.” He commented with a laugh. “Nah, I’m good. It’ll be cleared up in a couple days.”