Could Haves and Would Haves

Jack had hurried out of the Order meeting, anxious as always to escape any room that held Matthew Lestrange. Awkward enough to be stuck in a room with someone you did not necessarily approve of, but for them to be in a position of power and you had to pretend to respect them- well, Jack was much to stubborn to conform to such a concept as putting the past behind you for the sake of being professional. And for the reason as well. If anyone had caught on and inquired, it would have been much better if he owed her money, or had killed a friend of hers, or something. But that they were pitted in a battle of jealousy and envy over her roommate- who could take their rivalry seriously?

With the close of the meeting, Jack hurried out of the kitchen in Number 12 Grimmauld Place. She tiptoed across the landing, before slipping outside. The safety of the closed door and several rooms between herself and Matt gave her the security to relax, breathing in the cool air. Night had fallen a few hours ago and she relaxed in the crisp air, always happy to unwind in a natural setting. When she wasn’t locked in her office at the Ministry, she was either running around Wheezes, or tending to her dependent roommate.

The cool air reminded her of a night at Hogwarts- she had skipped the Halloween meal to take to the skies on her trusty Comet 260. She had made a friend that night in a French exhange student, and the night had been well spent, as they had run training drills early into the morning, until a professor had caught them and given them both detention. Jack and detention were old friends, so she had found the night’s levels of output were mich higher than their sacrifice.

The old longing and regret that was associated with her favorite sport bucked within her. How different her life would have been if she had ignored her responsibilities to the public and signed with the Falmouth Falcons. She would have a sizable income, less work would be involved, more time for pleasure would be afforded, and she would probably have a social life beyond Nemo Omara. But she had chosen her responsibility to her creature friends, and had become overworked in the Ministry; she had chosen to right the wrongs her foolishness had caused, and stuck with the Order; she had chosen to continue a tradition and keep Weasleys’ alive.

All in all, Jack had chosen what would make her free of guilt over what would have made her free of suffering. Though she had chosen what was obviously right, the pain of the ease she might have given up was beginning to dog her. Her musings were shaken as the door opened and people began to exit the house. She stepped down the stairs, moving to get out of everyone’s way. She offered a grimace that was meant to be a smile whenever someone forced social interaction upon her. Jack just wanted to enjoy the night again.

James hung back a bit after the meeting, stroking Doom absently. He abhorred the act of trying to worm his way through a group of people to get somewhere, regardless the size of said group. He preferred to hang back for a few moments and let the area clear up a bit, so that he could walk freely without the obligatory pleasantries, and 'pardon me's. It was much simpler to merely sit around for just a few extra minutes, and besides, too many people made his cat uncomfortable.

As he waited, James contemplated the meeting which his brother Albus had requested of him. James had not seen Albus much since he had graduated Hogwarts, being with the Order, and then the school being locked down in Albus's final year. The young man had given James the impression that he had a very important tale to tell, and for the life of him, James could not think of a thing that would have Albus rattled like he seemed to be. He sincerely hoped that the boy had not gotten some poor young lass pregnant.

Once the room had cleared, James stood and made his own way to the exit. He gave Jack a little two-fingered salute as he passed her, and continued on to his flying motorbike. He straddled it, but stopped short of starting it just yet. He looked to Jack for a few seconds. She looked oddly troubled, though he supposed that was to be expected after having been confined in a room with Matthew Lestrange. Still, he couldn't pretend he had no concern for the girl. She was one of the few that he sincerely liked, and not just to get his pipes thoroughly cleaned for the night.

James placed Doom in his riding basket, and administered the necessary flying equipment of a little leather helmet and goggles. He then gunned the engine, turning his bike around in a huge plume of smoke and the rancid smell of burning rubber. He idled up behind Jack and stopped, slouching down so that his arms were crossed over the handlebars, his chin resting in the nook of one arm as he looked bemusedly up at her.

"Would the lady prefer a ride home with a dashing young man?" he asked her coyly.

Doom looked up at James, issuing a loud 'MEOW' of reprimand.

"and his valiantly brave kitty, of course," James added apologetically, caressing Doom who began to purr.

Jack was getting ready to peel off from the rest of the group when James Potter strode out. His eyes met hers and he gave her a salute. An almost unwilling smile was wrested from her and she bowed her head with mock pretension before she watched his back walk off. She remembered fun times with Mr Potter too. They had both gone through their 'Quidditch is the only thing in the world that matters' phase at about the same time, and it was nice to train with someone who was not tempted to leave for social obligations or other trifles such as meals or sleep.

But the moment of nostalgia left, and as she did a quick mental tally, she realized all had left and if she did not start off soon, she might risk getting stuck on the stoop with the man she had sought to avoid. She glanced about, suddenly dreading the return home. She usually loved time at home, as time at home meant time with her best friend, but he was either stuck at work, or passed out drunk on the couch. Home meant working on paperwork, making dinner for her critters, dealing with the baby hippogriff she had taken home as project, and cleaning up after said drunkard.

She walked away from Grimmauld Place, popping the collar of her jacket to lessen the exposure of the breeze on her neck. Her feet led her to the edge of the sidewalk, and she walked toe to heel on the sidewalk, for once seeming as though nothing could hurry her. Jack was typically a quick walker, as an overcompensation for her short legs. Now, a bet could probably not make her move quickly.

A loud rumbled prompted Jack to glance behind her and spot the approaching James Potter on his motorbike. Again, a smile was forced onto her face at the sight of his cat all prepped for the ride. She turned so her toes were hanging over the edge of the curb. James looked up at her and spoke.

Jack could not help it. His words prompted her to look around, before meeting his eyes. "Sorry, Mr Potter, you seem to have mistaken me for a lady." A smirk twisted onto her face. "And don't you dare try to trick me into believing you are a gentleman. I know better." She stepped onto the street and put a hand out for Doom to sniff. "Where would you be without your co-pilot-cat?" She glanced back up at James and dropped her arms, before pushing her hands deep into her jacket pockets. "Actually, I don't fancy going home. Up for a drink or something?" She paused, and her eyes flashed with the thought that had just struck her as she glanced over the bike. "I should drive."

She knew James would not allow it, and for good reason. Jack used to have a car. Key words : used to have.

James raised an eyebrow, a glint of mischief in his eyes; his personality from the old Hogwarts days showing briefly.

"Well, I suppose I could call you an 'ol bint if you'd prefer," James retorted laughingly, "but I thought you might prefer the latter term. As for driving, I think not. Doom is very choosy about his chauffeur, and unfortunately he'd enjoy going home with his hide intact tonight....besides, you and I are alike in the fact that we enjoy a fair amount of speed and recklessness. I fear this little dragon fire accelerator that Arthur installed would prove to be too much temptation for you, and I haven't forgotten what you did to your car."

James regarded her with his piercing eyes, seeming to ponder on something. As if coming to a decision, he raised his wand in the air, waving it with rapid flourish. A leather helmet and goggles, matching exactly that of his cat appeared (though rather larger) and James caught the contraption in his hands.

"You'll have to ride the pillion," James said, holding out the helmet for her, though he was sure she'd refuse ...it did look ridiculous, "or as the Americans say, 'riding B****."

((Helmet looks something like this.))

At the other option James gave her, she barked one of her short, grating laughs that she had become so famous for. Back in Hogwarts, people typically knew when to hide when they heard that single 'ha' travelling down the hallway. It meant someone had fallen to dungbombs or fireworks, and she had been amused and was looking for more fun. It sent most people running for her, except for those who were on good terms with her. For them, it was a homing beacon.

"I must say, old bint is much more familiar to me," she said, grinning. His words regarding her car stirred a mischievous grin and she shrugged. "The guy from Knockturn who did all the repairs said he had made it an all-terrain vehicle. The last time I checked, swamp was terrain." The dragon booster was tempting. She scoffed. "I've ridden the Loch Ness monster and a mid-sized dragon, how different could this be?"

But driving was not necessary. The temptation to ride it at all was enough. Jack knew her history, and she knew the history of this bike. While she was not a Harry Potter lunatic, she might have a bit of a draw to the Weasley's, especially the twins, whose legacy she had continued at Hogwarts, and who's shop was now her own. So to be near any artifact so connected to the history was vastly tempting, especially since she had passed on the Marauder's Map.

He summoned a helmet and she took it from him, fastening it. "You'll have to ride the pillion or as the Americans say, 'riding B****." Jack pointed, saying, "Hey! I know that word too!" She laughed- being Head of a Department at the Ministry often earned a woman that unofficial title. She swung onto the bike and said, "Hi ho silver! Away!"

An unwilling smile played across James' lips when Jack put on the procured helmet. This was a woman who didn't care what others thought, and it was refreshing to be able to relax and not feel the pressure to show off for her; like he did with the more materialistic women he was usually entertaining. It did get tiring trying to figure out exactly how much money he would have to spend on a women before he could bed her. He didn't have to worry about that with Jack. They both knew there were no expectations there.

"Hi ho, Silver?" questioned James, having never heard the term, "I must need to spend some more time around muggles..."

James lowered the goggles over his kitty's eyes, then gunned the accelerator with the brake on, causing the engine to roar.

"Might want to hang on!" he yelled over his shoulder as he released the brake.

With a shriek of tires, the motorbike shot down the road, leaving behind a long black burn on the pavement and a cloud of acrid smoke. James put his foot down on the pedal that had been installed next to the foot brake, and the motorbike began to rise into the air. James realized that he was in danger of being spotted by the muggle population below, but as usual, he didn't care. There were no clouds to hide in, and besides, if he was spotted it'd just be chalked up to another UFO report. The worst that could happen would be that he'd have to pay a fine. Then a sudden realization hit him: He had a member of the ministry workforce sitting right there behind him. A rare stab of regret hit him, and he sped up a bit to get away from the town. He didn't want Jack to get sacked on account of him.

"So!" James called again over his shoulder after they had put some distance between themselves and the town, "Where to? Leaky Cauldron? Hog's Head? My place?"

James' words about muggles made her shrug, as she reached up to tighten and adjust her helmet's chin strap. "I wouldn't suggest hanging out with muggles, per se. But their television and movie industries are pretty awesome. I'd start there." She spoke from experience. For eleven years, and six additional summers, she had been surrounded by muggles, and she had lived about half of her lifetime thinking she was simply a muggle. She grinned. "And it's hilarious how they represent wizards, too."

He warned her and she scoffed, opening her mouth to say something snarky in some respect, when the motorbike roared and took off. Jack swayed, but her Quidditch reflexes proved themselves to be her savior, and she gripped James' shoulder with one hand while the other grabbed the seat of the bike. She squeezed her legs against the seat as they rose and soon found the rhythm. James' body broke the wind around her and she was able to reach one hand up to hold onto her helmet, laughing.

She glanced around, yelling above the wind, as they were still rising. "No invisibility booster?" She shook her head and said, "I can write a report saying it was an emergency. Being Head of Department means your reports go to yourself for approval. It's nice." Jack was not crooked, but she definitely did not conform to professionalism. She did not steal or commit treason, but she let herself get away with adventures when she wanted to. In all fairness, she let most people get away with it. Besides, her roommate was the Head of Law Enforcement. She was fine.

He asked where she would prefer to go. On any given day she could go to the Hog's Head or Leaky Cauldron. Besides, people were there, and grew so tiresome of that species. "Your place," she responded, curious as to where her Hogwarts friend had settled himself.

"Yeah, strange Arthur never installed an invisibility booster," James replied, his voice raised as to be heard over the engine's rumble, "Perhaps it's easier to do on a car where you are actually enclosed within the space, rather than on a bike where the charm would have to extend out from the machine to cover you as well. Dunno about you, but I think most muggles would be just as freaked to see a man and his cat flying through the air."

James turned his head to shoot Jack a cocky wink.

"Well, if we're headed to my place, it's clear over on the West Country. That's quite a drive..erm...flight, I think we aught to speed things up a bit, don't you?"

Grinning a bit like a mad man; anticipation lighting up his eyes, James caressed the dragonfire accelerator button with his thumb.

"Might want to hold on tighter!" he yelled right before jabbing the button with his thumb.

The motorbike reared up, and James wrestled with the handlebars as the white-hot flame erupted from the tailpipe, lighting up their tiny portion of the sky. He managed to straighten it out fairly quickly, and stooped his body forward, making himself more aerodynamic, so that his body wouldn't be thrown from the bike. He laughed maniacally as he imagined any muggle watching from below wishing on the shooting star they had just seen shoot across the sky. He worried little about Jack, he was sure that she was having the time of her life right now; now Doom, on the other hand...Doom hated that dragonfire button with a burning passion. Godric's Hollow would have a very noisy comet landing in its outskirts tonight.

((Noisy as in the cat is yowling. Wasn't sure how to convey that fact artistically enough in the paragraph, lol.))

Jack snorted and shook his head when he winked at her. He suggested they speed up the journey and she let out a cheer, throwing her head back. In a gravelly voice, she chanted, "Do it! Do it! Do it!" He suggested she hold on tighter and she scoffed again. "Psh. As if I need to hold on. I am Jack Dyllan and I-"

He hit the button and she almost fell off the bike. She grabbed quickly, and, unfortunately, so quick a gesture meant her arms fastened around James' neck. She yelled a quick "Sorry!" over the rush of wind, pushing her lips past the wind that was trying to tear them off to do so. She moved one arm and then the other to around him, surprised at how much effort the process took.

The cat was screeching his displeasure and Jack added a loud howl to the noise in pure glee.

(ugh. muse fail)

Cody Blecha was taking a lovely night-time stroll along the country road leading into Godric's Hollow, the town in which had recently moved to. He enjoyed it. It was peaceful, the weather was pleasant, and it was just a very comfortable place to live. Never had to worry about crime or walking out alone at night. Cody drew a deep breath of the clean country air, turning his gaze lazily to the sky. There was a single star glowing brighter than the others. Cody smiled, thinking about how beautiful it was, but his smile turned to a puzzled frown as the star seemed to glow brighter and brighter. Too late, the man realized it was not a star at all and dove to one side as something roared by him, skidding to a halt mere feet away. Cody looked up, puzzled to see a motorbike and a man walking towards him, pointing a bit of wood at his head.

"Obliviate!" James said lazily, pointing his wand at the man. He looked back at Jack, shaking his head in an unbelieving manner, "Really, what in the world is a muggle doing out in the middle of nowhere at this time of night?"

"Close call there!" James admonished cheerfully, now directing his attention to the man, "Didn't see you until I was right up on ya, mate! What you doing walking out at this time of night?"

The man stared at James doggedly, shaking his head bemusedly, as if lost for words.

"Careful now, gent!" James continued, "Don't want to drive by tomorrow morning to see your carcass on the side of the road!"

With a hearty wave, James straddled his motorbike once more, ignoring the furious gaze of his cat. The man waved back half-heartedly, still a bit dazed from the memory charm as James sped off into the night.