Settling

"It's not Peeves," Sawyer responded briskly. "His file was un-tampered with and ready for me to look at. If there are any poltergeists around, she's kept him out of the system. It could be, but I can't figure it out until I finish up all of the counter-curses. So far, I haven't had any problem looking through the files and the system with any ghosts, so I don't think it's that. Dementors have always been risky, but who sympathizes with dementors? Maybe a banshee. I know Jack adopted a Gytrash, so perhaps the file is his, but I doubt she'd adopt a man-killer. And the last demon attack was well taken care of. She was one of the few that helped battle them. Her reports on them were pretty merciless. Can't say it's a demon." Sawyer let out a long sigh. "Can't say it's anything, yet, really."

He flopped back down into her chair. "I know she tried to implement a werewolf-wizards relations program, but neither side was really willing to go through with it. I don't know, mate. I'm working day and night on this thing."

"Can't imagine Peeves' file being hidden anyhow," James laughed, reminiscing through memories of the Hogwarts Poltergeist, "I'll pull Jack aside after the next Quidditch practice, and ask her about it. She seems to trust me, but I'll be sure not to push too hard. That girl loves her secrets more than me."

James pursed his lips, nibbling a bit on his lip thoughtfully.

"So, any other scandalous behavior at the office? That pretty little witch who always wears the tight skirt still around?"

"Peeves is under control," Sawyer said with satisfaction. "He was never prepared for me to be Head Boy." He smirked, feeling satisfied with the results of the past as he basked in their former glory. Reality shook him up, because something much more vicious than Peeves was currently beating him. The smirk slid off his face.

James' idea was simple, but what else could be done? Sawyer knew Jack professionally. He couldn't get anything out of her. "If you could try, that could be a major step forward."

The subject evolved and Sawyer shrugged. "You know I like to compartmentalize..." A wry smile formed on his face. "But there are a few pretty secretaries, and not the kind that wear frumpy clothing either. That witch is a bit older now, and married. Still wears the tight skirts though."

"Well, at least she gives you a little something to look at!" James goaded, tipping Sawyer yet another of his abundant winks.

"Honestly, man, you need to lighten up! If you don't get that stick outta your arse, and get a little bit more flexible of a backbone, you'll never find a good woman who'll want you! Trust me, mate: Women want men who are flexible and adventurous. You got the adventurous part down, but you could use some work on the flexibility, man."

James grinning face suddenly disappeared, as it was replaced by the view of the crown of his head. Doom had jumped on James from behind, landing right on his head and forcing it to bend down, so that James was looking into his lap. In another split second, Doom had launched himself into the air again and lit on top of the fireplace. Before James could recover from this assault, Walrus was on top of him next. Too big for James' head, Walrus scrabbled with his paws, trying to lurch himself over James, knocking him to the floor in the process.

"Why....you...bloody....CREATURES!" James yelled as he raised himself up to one elbow, "Where's my wand?! You two are in for it!"

With identical looks of terror, Doom and Walrus sprinted from the room, side-by-side.

((You know I've ran out of things to talk about when I get attacked by animals. XD ))

"Hey now," Sawyer said, looking very seriously at his cousin. "I've been told I'm plenty flexible." A roguish smile unfurled on his face.

It didn't last long. He sighed. "It's hard to lighten up with as much work as I have to do. You play a sport for a living, mate, you don't get it. Paperwork has to be done. Constantly. When you work for the government, slacking off for a second can be very destructive. And right now, my department needs strong leadership. I have to work hard now or I'll never had a moment's rest."

Sawyer was given a chance to lighten up, however, a moment later. As James crashed to the ground, Sawyer roared with laughter. "I'm not going to even feel bad about that! Walrus is an angel, then you come around, and he's wound up for days. I will have no shame in enjoying that!"

((Hm...interesting plot came into me head. Be interesting for James Potter to get his wand broken and take it to Aaron to be fixed....lol, don't know if it'll actually go anywhere, though.))

James arose to his knees, his face red.

"You better run you yellow cowards!" he yelled after the retreating tails of the animals before turning back to try and find his fallen wand.

James face fell as his hand suddenly fell on what felt like a long bit of wood, which was splintered in the middle. Closing his eyes, James held the wand up at eye level, then slowly opened them to assess the damage. His face turned ashen as he saw that his wand was nearly broken in half, the phoenix feather clearly visible. A wizard without his wand in these dark times was not a very comfortable thing to be.

"Sawyer...." James said in a broken voice, "tell me I'm dreaming...please!"

Sawyer continued to roar with laughter, his hand on his stomach to press the heaving sides and relieve the pain, his head rolling over the back of the seat, thoroughly pleased by the display his cousin and the critters were putting on.

And then is laugh died, right in his throat. Sawyer's eyes remained on the wand, a little hollowed by the sight. Yes, the man knew that wands broke and they weren't too expensive to replace, and that it was only a minor hiccup... But both of the boys were raised in wizarding homes. A day without a wand sounded absolutely terrible, nerve-wracking, and practically impossible.

"Ohhhh, mate," Sawyer said, sitting up and leaning forward. "I'm sorry, James. You're going to have to replace that."

"You don't think it can be fixed?!" James asked in a high-pitched voice.

James quickly cleared his throat and tried speaking again, hoping that this time it would be in a calmer and in a manlier pitch.

"Guess I'm going to have to make a visit to Diagon Alley. Must confess that the prospect makes me a bit nervous, seeing as there was a horrendous attack there only a few days ago...but what can you do?"

James giggled a bit, clearly nervous and out of character for him. He couldn't imagine losing the wand that had been by his side through so much pain and turmoil.

((Sent Aaron a pm about James' wand. Though maybe I could get him caught up in a little bit of the action. If Aaron were to share with the rest of the DE that James Potter was without a wand for example....and since he's the wand-maker, he could easily tell James that it would take a few days to fix/make him a new wand.))

James was panicking. So Sawyer reminded him of it.

"You're panicking, mate, don't panic."

Sawyer grimaced. "Well, at least it didn't happen before it was set on fire. That'd be bad, huh?" Sawyer nervously chuckled. "Look, security must be tight on Diagon now, it's probably the safest time to go. And, after all," Sawyer grinned, knowing he was going to be teasing his cousin. "You're James Potter. You're famous." It was always a joke to the Weasleys, the fame of their cousins, because they remembered them in diapers. "I can go with you if you want, mate. If I can get time off work."

James let out a dry laugh, but allowed himself to be slightly humored.

"Yeah, famous James Potter," he drawled, "Imagine it'd be a Death Eater's dream to catch me wandless."

James sighed, urging himself to cheer up a bit more, "but you're right. Can't imagine anyone attacking me in Diagon Alley in broad daylight. Especially outside a wand shop. I'm sure 'ol Aaron would give them a run for their money. Can you imagine the propensity one would have for dueling if their business is knowing exactly how wands work?"

((Wow...I feel like my writing has been a bit weak lately. I blame Composition class. ))