no one knows | claire

[james sirius potter]

we get some rules to follow

that and this, these and those

January 4, 2026
Claire Evangeline Slater

James finished scribbling in some notes into a file. His handwriting was turning into chicken scratch. He’d been filling paperwork and reports since he’d arrived that morning, and while one would hope he wasn’t called out for a job—that meant someone was in trouble, he also desperately wished it if it got him away from this pile on his very disorganized desk. The exposed parts had a small layer of dust where nothing had touched it for some time, and he hadn’t bothered to clean it since he often wasn’t around that. And even when he was, he wasn’t about to clean. He paused and placed quill down, gently shaking his hand—he hadn’t written this much since the three-foot essays he’d procrastinated in his last year of school. Some of the more organized Hit Wizards and Aurors filled out their paperwork over time, but he left his to the last moment as usual. Looking around, he saw a few of his colleagues pressing the keys on the new machines that slowly had begun infiltrating the Ministry offices. James was still waiting on the computer they owed him, but at least he had a phone.

James sat back in his chair and let out a bored sigh. Sitting at a desk all day made his brain feel like mush. At that moment, he made the executive decision to take a break. He needed to stretch his legs before they atrophied, sitting here doing all this paperwork by hand. But what to do? He supposed he could go visit with any of his friends here at the Ministry—even if most of them had been deployed to the new mysterious island that had just appeared. James was quite curious to go. It was something new and exciting though some of the stories he’d heard didn’t make it seem inviting to go. His curiosity wouldn’t let go of the thought of the adventure, but the Ministry had prioritized Aurors and Interpol to handle this. James stood up and walked out of the office and down the hallway. He would see what Aurors were around to bother or chat with. Their offices were as empty as he had seen them in some time. Disappointed, James strolled around anyway. Some of his friends or the trainees had offices in the back, and it had been some time since he’d bothered Albus about anything.

However, after passing a couple of rows, he paused. A shiny nameplate glinted in his direction. Perfectly lined up with the edge of the desk and approximately two inches from the edge. Quills were perfectly stored near an inkpot, and various other items were meticulously aligned on the surface. Oh, he knew who’s desk this was, and a mischievous grin crept upon his face. One eyebrow went up as an idea entered his mind, and he glanced around to verify that nobody had paid attention to him approaching the desk. ”I don’t think she’ll mind everything shifted slightly to the right…” He muttered to himself as he began with the nameplate, and then a few books before a voice startled him.

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[Claire Evangeline Slater]

never enough.

CLAIRE HAD LEFT HER DESK FOR WHAT FELT LIKE an hour. The cup of tea steaming in her hand, though it had taken her a fair amount of effort to actually find the break room. Her lack of direction a persistent irritation. By the time she'd found the milk, sugar and her way back to her desk, her tea was still hot but drinkable. She sipped it gingerly, her cheeks reddened with frustration as she finally found her office with a relieved sigh.

Though she was still on border patrol, they had almost forgotten about her. Claire could sit at her desk and look over trainee files some days. It was about all she could do, really. Since she couldn't go anywhere without a guide to keep her on track. Just another reason to despise Yrisle. As she rounded the corner it revealed a figure standing at her desk. It startled Claire and she stuttered to a stop, thinking that she'd taken another wrong turn before she realised who the lanky figure was.

"James!" She hissed, turning left when she meant to go straight and cursing heatedly. "What are you doing?" She asked him angrily, making it to her desk in time to glare at him haughtily. She set her tea down carefully, looking as she did to make sure she didn't inadvertently drop it on the ground. That's when she noticed. "Are you... did you touch my things?" Her head tilted, nose crinkled as she examined her desk with renewed interest. Everything was just a little different, not enough to cause immediate alarm, but enough to rankle her already shortened patience.

"You great big oaf!" She hissed at him, pulling her arm back to aim a backhanded slap to his chest. Although, due to her unfortunate misdirection, her arm went a foot lower than necessary and she slammed the back of her hand against James's groin. "Wait- no, I didn't mean to do that!" She turned with widened eyes, cringing as she held her hand to her chest, though she didn't apologise. "That was your fault," She told him defensively. 

james sirius potter

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[james sirius potter]

we get some rules to follow

that and this, these and those

January 4, 2026
Claire Evangeline Slater

James felt his heart skip half a beat as the voice called out to him rather angrily. He stopped what he was doing and immediately tried to think of an excuse. If he was being honest, he hadn't thought that far ahead to possibly have an explanation for touching items on a desk that was clearly not his. In reality, if James' desk or things were ever this organized, one might be right to suspect he might be under the effects of some type of curse and very much not in his right mind. Claire approached and placed her tea on her desk, and James instinctively smiled, an old habit from school from all his attempts to smile his way out of situations with Prefects and the staff. It wasn't always effective, but he still tried nonetheless. "Claire! There you are. I was wondering where you had gone off too." He replied rather sheepishly. He'd known Claire for about as long as she had been in his father's old department. She had been several years ahead of him at school.

"I was about to send a search party." He added with a light chuckle. Then she questioned his current intentions, and he kept his same expression, his friendly smile and air of confidence that was so typical of him. "Your things? No. Why would I do that?" He asked, feigning a tiny bit of offense at her suggestion as he began to cross his arms to block the hand he saw coming in his direction, only she hadn't been aiming for his chest. Instead of hitting him in the arm or the chest as he might have expected, she hit him quite a bit lower, and he wasn't smiling anymore. Very quickly, it was as if the wind was knocked out of him a bit, and he grunted in pain and surprise. He braced himself from his previous standing position but put a hand on the desk as he hunched over slightly. His instinct was perhaps to take a knee, but he didn't want to present that image of himself in the middle of Ministry of Magic.

"You know." He spoke a bit breathlessly, his voice not nearly as strong as it was before. "Most people use their words." He grimaced as he quickly waved his hand to summon a nearby chair as he took a seat. He would need a minute, and at least if he sat here visibly in pain, he figured Claire would hopefully feel bad. 'That was your fault.' She insisted, and James looked at her, still a bit hunched over, with his not-quite-green eyes. "Really? Is that your punishment for anyone that touches your desk?" James wasn't sure, but she had undoubtedly, and very, unfortunately, missed. It could have been an accident, but because it was Claire, he would insist it wasn't. "I'd offer to move your nameplate back to its original position, but I'd be concerned for my safety." He spoke, a light sarcastic tone to his words as he tried to keep the mood light despite his pain.

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[Claire Evangeline Slater]

never enough.

CLAIRE RARELY SHIED AWAY FROM A FIGHT. Surprisingly none more than herself, she had excelled at hand-to-hand combat in Auror training. Maybe it was just the thrill of punching something after years of pent up frustration. She wasn't particularly sure, but the sound of James's groan made her flinch. Her entire body angling away from him as her face screwed up and she shook her head in abject disgust. His voice hoarse as he summoned a chair and sat in it heavily. She looked down at him, her lip still curled.

"Most people don't rifle through their colleagues belongings." She replied, a snooty tilt to her chin as she regarded him with stern reproach. "Do you think you're still in primary school?" She half turned, situating her mug of tea in the righthand corner, under a coaster covered in little dried wildflowers. A rare occasion since her curse where she didn't cock it up. She pointedly ignored him for a moment, though Claire actually quite liked James. He was a bit of a prick and his sense of humour could be dire, but his company wasn't entirely awful. It beat Finn's, or worse... Bianca's.

"I'd prefer if you kept your hands to yourself entirely." She side-eyed him, moving her hand blindly to move her nameplate. She shifted a paperweight in to a frame instead before sighing. The curse was becoming a pain in the arse. "What do you want?" She asked, pinching the skin between her brows. Rolling her neck back before she dropped her hand and leaned heavily against the edge of her desk. "I've changed my mind, actually." She decided all of a sudden, pushing off the desk to walk around the back of James's chair. Gripping the back she pushed until he was wedged in to the far end of her desk awkwardly. "I've decided you're going to sit here and situate all of my things for me." She smacked the side of his cheek gently, punctuating her point. "Just the way I like it." 

james sirius potter

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[james sirius potter]

we get some rules to follow

that and this, these and those

January 4, 2026
Claire Evangeline Slater

James felt his heart skip half a beat as the voice called out to him rather angrily. He stopped what he was doing and immediately tried to think of an excuse. If he was Claire didn’t seem the least bit sympathetic to the current situation she had put him in. Maybe if he told Ariadne, she might get a laugh when she should have had his back as his girlfriend after all. ”Its quite the overreaction to touching a quill, isn’t it?” James responded, a little defensive because of the pain, but he never took such things so seriously either. Plus, it was Claire. This was just how she reacted—he’d learned. Maybe she would get along better with Albus, but that was when he bothered to come around. James sat up in his chair as the pain in his stomach began to slowly fade. He’d have to watch himself next time or at least have his wand out to deflect such an attack again. Though it wasn’t like her to be so disoriented either, not something you want to note in an Auror.

Even as she scolded him, she knocked something over on her desk. But before he could comment, she was moving his chair, so he was sitting at the desk as if it were his own. ”Claire what are—“ He sighed, though he was wondering if this was just her way of enacting some kind of revenge. ”You want me to organize your desk for you?” James asked, leaning his head back to look up at her, much like a little boy in primary school might do. ”I just came to say hello. My paperwork was getting boring.” Organizing a desk sounded equally dull, but he wasn’t positive she wouldn’t charm the chair to stay in place until he was done. ”Tell you what—I’ll organize your desk if you can convince my dad to let me go to that Island.” James craned his neck, arms crossed and a smug look on his face as he waited for her response.

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[Claire Evangeline Slater]

never enough.

IT WAS DEFINITELY AN OVERREACTION, CLAIRE agreed. She wouldn't say that out loud, that meant explaining what her intention had been and why she'd failed so spectacularly. She shrugged instead, turning her face away with a frown as he situated himself and shook off the pain with a scowl on his face. It was becoming more and more difficult to maintain her competency as time passed. Though her superiors were well aware, James certainly didn't know. Claire had wanted to keep it discreet, but she wondered how much longer she could ask that of her bosses. How many small, but meaningful mistakes she could make before their patience waned. 

Pushing James in to place roughly, Claire slapped her hands on his shoulders with a grin. In the meantime, she could strong arm the Potter boy in to menial tasks. "That's what I said." She replied happily, shaking his shoulders where she still grabbed them roughly. "I'll stand right here and watch while you do it." She told him, realising how much quicker it would be if she had someone like James to be her hands. Her unknowing navigator.

"What-" Claire's grip faltered slightly, a frown creasing her brow as he negotiated with her. She took her hands back, but kept him in place by remaining behind the chair, wedging him under her desk. Thinking quietly before she spoke once more, "what if I told you you're better off not going." It was a weak counter argument, but Claire thought of her Wyrd-ness and how curious James could be. He'd certainly be caught in the island's thrall. Perhaps Harry knew that and kept him away because of it. "Why won't Harry let you go?" She asked after a minute, staring at his face in profile, as if simply watching him would reveal the truth. 

james sirius potter

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[james sirius potter]

we get some rules to follow

that and this, these and those

January 4, 2026
Claire Evangeline Slater

Claire seemed determined to enact her revenge on him. But he supposed he should have expected that. It couldn’t have been a Slater trait. Brigh often rambled about her close friends at school, including one youngest Slater sibling, to sounded way calmer than Claire ever managed to stay for very long. Still, the only reason he didn’t even mind this task was that it was less boring than the stack of files and paperwork on his desk. It felt like a waste of his talent and energy, and again, it was just dull. In times like this, he reconsidered his career choice of Law Enforcement rather than Quidditch. James could have followed the path of the other oldest boys in his neighborhood. Dustin and Mickey had both chosen the sport.

She seemed surprised, and her fingers weren’t digging into his shoulder for a moment. But, if he tried to move, he’d run into her with the chair, and James was afraid of what kind of bodily harm she might cause him if he ran her over with an office chair. It was a substantially worse offense than touching her desk. Slowly his head turned and looked up and behind him, curiosity in his eyes. ”Why? What’s over there?” Claire had gone, as had many Aurors and Bianca herself before she was promoted. Many of the Order had gone as well, and he swore there was something different in everyone’s eyes when they returned. A few had elected to stay on the island, returning much later. She inquired as to why his father would block him from this adventure, and he paused. Obviously, he couldn’t mention the Order out loud in the middle of the Ministry of Magic. ”He thinks I should focus on other things.” Namely, the purifier threat.

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[Claire Evangeline Slater]

never enough.

THE ISLAND WASN'T NECESSARILY A GREAT AND terrible threat, Claire thought. Moreso it was its sudden and unprovoked appearance that was unsettling. The oddities there had been worth beholding, but Claire reckoned if she could turn back time she wouldn't have gone. Having come back with one of its cursed quirks, it had become something of an annoyance in her mind. Knowing that James was interested left her mildly concerned. She couldn't imagine what might shackle him over there, he was just curious enough to bite.

"It's... it's just a stupid island." Claire shrugged, blindly reaching for the chair at the desk beside her own. It took a few tries, but eventually she grabbed it without looking and dragged it under herself. She sat heavily, almost slumping - though not quite. "It's not exactly the most exciting Auror mission available right now" Claire said mildly, biting gently on her thumb nail before she realised what she was doing and wrenched it away.

"It's like a really..." She sighed, thinking of a vague way to explain to James without inciting that excitement. "It's like a really boring gnome trap." She decided, cringing once she had. Her hands were folded in her lap, her head spinning. "Like, it's sounds really exciting and dangerous, but it's actually not." Claire blew out a breath, squinting at her lack of eloquence. "It's like a very well timed distraction..." This was said thoughtfully, which she supposed didn't help her argument. 

Eventually, she thought, Claire would have to tell James about what had happened to her when she had gone there. Not because she was required to, or because it was imperative he knew. Claire knew she would have to eventually tell James because he was James. She liked him, she trusted him. As much as he was a nuisance, he had become a friend, of sorts. "Your dad's right, there are more important missions." Claire nodded, and she meant what she said this time. "Leave a place like that to the archivists and the cursebreakers..." She managed a slight sly smirk. 

james sirius potter

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[james sirius potter]

we get some rules to follow

that and this, these and those

January 4, 2026
Claire Evangeline Slater

Claire gave him the vaguest of answers which left him with an eyebrow raised. Surely she could give him more than that. It only served to pique his infinite curiosity and need for some adventure. Still, she moved and dropped herself into a chair. James pushed back from the desk slightly, so he wasn't caged in anymore. "What's not exciting about exploring such a new place?" James asked, pushing further away from the desk and turning so he could face Claire. "Where’s your sense of adventure? Or are you actually happy sitting here all day?” Paperwork always threatened to melt James’ brain. Or if his siblings were here, they’d comment what precious little remained when his confidence filled the rest of his skull.

Claire had a strange hesitation when she explained more about the Island, one that James was not accustomed to seeing in his father’s favorite. ”Distraction?” James asked simply. Really he wondered if there was some more significant connection to other events. What if the Island was not as isolated as they had thought, but it just created questions. But questions he’d ask of other Order members at the pub and not in the middle of the Ministry of Magic. But he couldn’t help but roll his eyes when she agreed so easily with his father. James leaned on the back of the chair that was at his side now, a bit dramatically.

”You really are his protégé” James mumbled, rolling his eyes and spinning in the chair like a bored child. When he’d done one rotation and returned to facing Claire though her expression had shifted. James observed curiously. ”Cursebreakers have all the fun. Did you see a lot of the there?”

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[Claire Evangeline Slater]

never enough.

CLAIRE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN HER EVASIVENESS would only heighten James's childlike curiosity. She sighed heavily, rolling her eyes as he carried on in earnest. "It's not new!" Claire snapped, though she couldn't say this with complete certainty, biting the inside of her lip as she lied by omission. "It's just... really old." She muttered, shaking her head as she attempted to appear bored and unaffected by the entire encounter. It had, in fact, been quite enlightening, but in all the wrong ways. She knew why Harry would not want his eldest son to venture there. James had the survival instincts of a cartoon mouse.

"You know I hate sitting here," Claire snapped at him, as if reprimanding him for poking at a wound that had not fully healed. "I just think you're... talents," She scrunched her nose, unable to help herself, "would be better suited elsewhere." James was a very competent wizard - though Claire would never willingly tell him this - but she understood Harry's reluctance. There was nothing worthwhile for a Hit Wizard at the Wyrd Island. Just traps to fall in to and artefacts to be excavated for research. Even Claire had regretted going, though for a different reason that she would not acknowledge in front of James.

Claire watched James's little brain work overtime, her eyes rolling once again as she realised she was fighting a losing battle. Ultimately, he would make up his own mind. She worried she was simply making it seem all the more enticing. "Maybe," She shrugged, rocking her knees back and forth in the chair as she watched him lounge in his chair and overthink. "I don't think anything is impossible these days." Claire inspected her nails, picking at a ragged nail restlessly. They were reaching a precipice, Claire thought. Tensions had never been higher since the Triwizard attack, she worried about her own competence as it rose.

The weight on the back of Claire's chair shook her from her stupor, her skin stinging around the skin she'd pulled at around her finger. She hissed, shoving his shoulder weakly in mild annoyance. There faces were too close for comfort and Claire leaned back and tried to kick the side of James chair, but she hit his foot instead, trodding on his toes instead. "Just because I'm a better son than you are," She taunted him petulantly, pulling her foot back as she felt slightly guilty for misjudging her footing once again. "A few," She muttered, thinking of Casimir and flinching internally. "They're a stern bunch." She added, as if to make herself feel better. 

james sirius potter

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[james sirius potter]

we get some rules to follow

that and this, these and those

January 4, 2026
Claire Evangeline Slater

Claire was growing increasingly frustrated with James, though that wasn’t ever something new. It was the same eye roll and sigh he noted from a few people and even his grandmother at times when he’d rounded his cousins to cause a bit of trouble. It didn’t phase James. He had the self-confidence to not particularly care—or maybe just the confidence inherited from his mother. She was strong-willed and even-tempered, unlike his Uncle Ron, who James’ brother tended to take after in terms of that short-temper. ”But we’ve never seen it before, therefore it is new.” James argued, a smug grin on his face.

He raised an eyebrow at the attempt at a compliment. It wasn’t Claire’s style to hand them out readily, let alone to him. That was suspicious enough to where he would keep his attention on this topic further. ”Seriously though, what did you do to end up with desk duty.” James leaned forward as if they were just two friends gossiping in the corner. ”That’s worse than Border Patrol.” Claire was a competent Auror, as she had proven in the past with her takedown of high-level Purifiers. But putting someone like her at a desk all day was a waste in James’ mind. If his father was still in charge of the Aurors, this would never have happened.

Claire hadn’t appreciated his chair spin, and her foot kicked his own. ”Ouch—what was that for?” James pulled back his foot and wiggled his toes to make sure they were still attached and hadn’t been somehow sheared off by a very clumsy Auror. James rolled his eyes, however, knowing that it couldn’t be true. ”Don’t let Al hear you say that. He’ll cry for a week.” Or maybe not, but his younger brother might storm out and set up a new desk in the Department of Mysteries to stay away from this floor for a while. Which reminded him to stop by his desk on his way out and put back the notebook he’d borrowed several weeks ago that would force him to start taking notes in a brand new one while this one was half-used. ”Anyone I know?” James asked in a bored tone, scooting his chair slightly away so he could slowly spin but out of range of Claire’s foot.

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[Claire Evangeline Slater]

never enough.

SCOFFING IN DISGUST, CLIARE LIFTED HER HAND and palmed the air in front of James' smug, grinning face. Her own screwed in annoyance as she turned away, hand still aimed in the air for a lingering moment to emphasize her point that little bit further. He was as determined as he was stupid, and Claire could only dissuade him so far before it became counterproductive.

Swivelling in her chair slightly, Claire turned away from James and then back again without meaning to. His questions making her hackles rise defensively. "Didn't mind my business, that's what!" She snapped at him, daring him to inquire further as her brows edged towards her hairline. With a deep, sobering breath, she made an effort to unlatch her death grip from the tables edge. "It's not permanent..." She reminded herself, closing her eyes briefly as she drew in long breath through her nose and held it. "I'm focusing on the Order right now, anyways." She replied in a hushed whisper.

Claire couldn't quite figure out who she was trying to convince. It had a number of benefits she reasoned with her frustrations; she didn't want to draw attention to herself in her current state, she wasn't entirely helpful on high level missions, and once again, she didn't want anybody to find out what was happening to her. James's determined pestering was one of the pitfalls, right enough. She had kicked him without mercy, replying sharply, "Well, it wasn't for luck!"

They had always been like a pair of bickering siblings for years. James had an undeniable 'brotherly' persona, as irritating as he could be boyishly endearing. She only half-pretended to be sick of him, though some days it was an easy pretence to maintain. She crossed her arms and laughed shortly, "Oh, don't be daft." Her head lolling from side to side as her nose scrunched, "He loves a good moan." And as unprofessional as she felt saying it, Claire believed it wholeheartedly.

Sighing heavily, she watched James retreat and rolled her eyes. "Well, obviously," She drawled with a shake of her head. It felt like a confession, though Casimir didn't even do any official cursebreaking anymore. She bit at the side of her finger anyways. "Rhys Greyback." She said his name like with only a slither of visible relief, shrugging her shoudlers. "Perhaps you should look into a career change," She told him with a pointed look. "Have your fun... elsewhere." 

james sirius potter

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[james sirius potter]

we get some rules to follow

that and this, these and those

January 4, 2026
Claire Evangeline Slater

His smug grin persisted even as Claire stopped arguing with him. James would take that as a small victory against the competitive Slater. Not that Claire would ever dare utter any syllables indicating that she was wrong and James was right. As much as James wanted to hear it, he would have to report her to his superiors as ‘suspect of being under the influence of Curse’ if she did so. But these things had never bothered James as much as they might have bothered his brother, but they’d responded so differently to the shadow they had grown up in.

But after a spin of her chair and a snappy response, James felt himself pause. The look in her eye was a clear warning, and James felt it was best for his physical safety not to push the matter. ”Sorry I asked.” James mumbled, giving a light nod in acknowledgment of the Order. Really, they were all breaking the rules by participating in such a thing. It was quite literally against the law—pushed into the category of ‘vigilante action’ though James always viewed it as a just and noble cause. ”Right—Merlin knows we’re never short of work there.” His voice an equal whisper but a far more sarcastic tone.

Maybe he was just frustrated by being stuck in London while his colleagues went off to this mysterious island, including colleagues in the Order. James felt that helpless feeling again that he’d felt a handful of times over the years. Is this what it was like to be stuck with desk duty like Claire while everybody else went to do the real work? But he chuckled at the comment on his younger brother. If Albus wasn’t complaining—then he wasn’t living. ”I don’t think he’s accepted that Lily is actually the favorite.” The youngest and the only daughter of Harry Potter—how could she not be?

Satisfied that his toes had survived the latest assault, he looked back at Claire. ”No, thank you.” James responded quickly. While the Cursebreaker’s career seemed like quite the adventure, it wasn’t up James’ alley. Somehow searching for curse gold in some desert in Egypt covered in sand and blazing hot temperatures was far less appealing than catching up on his incident reports at his desk. ”I’ve never liked sand that much…” James paused, leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head as he stared off at nothing in particular. ”Are all Cursebreakers so…” James brow furrowed momentarily as he tried to think of the right word. ”…grumpy?” He’d met Rhys briefly through the Order, and his father was close with the eldest Karkaroff. Any other Cursebreaker he recalled meeting had been similarly sullen and quiet.

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[Claire Evangeline Slater]

never enough.

THE RISK OF SIMPLY HINTING AT HER SUDDEN Wyrd 'affliction' on Ministry property was a risk. Claire felt it catch in her throat as she alluded to it reluctantly, James' boyish curiosity hard to bat off once thrown in her direction. He was, fortunately, less of a stickler than straight-laced Al. Though, the thought alone made her feel enormously guilty. She was supposed to be an Auror, to uphold the law and protect the vulnerable from injustice. Alas, she was already on desk duty, a little omission would do no harm - so she kept telling her wounded pride.

Claire's leg jumped restlessly, fingers tapping a rapid, rhythmless drum on the top of her desk. "You will be," Claire grumbled in reply, studiously refusing to face James as she stewed in her own self-imposed shame and guilt. "There's always a form to sign, or an 'Interdepartmental memo' to send!" Claire said with a theatrical flourish and shake of her head, her voice high and prim like every Ministry tour guide ever to grace the drab desks of the department. Her face collapsed soon after, relaying just how much she enjoyed her punishing new position.

"I think he hasn't much of a choice in the matter," Claire replied quickly, thinking of Al's sour face at every Potter function she'd ever attended. She had very little sympathy for his familial distress, which he made abundantly clear. Claire thought Al a bit of an ungrateful arse, if she were totally honest. To have a family to utterly dedicated to their health and happiness - he was cutting his own nose off to spite his face.

Attempting to look busy, Claire stacked completed paperwork carefully on her face. Making a point of carefully folding each of her recent memos on top once she had. "Oh, c'mon..." Claire drawled sarcastically, swaying in her seat as she fought not to fold all her memos upside down. It helped if she didn't pay it too much attention, eyeing James from the corner of her eye as she spoke. "Don't act like you wouldn't love a work sandal..." She smirked at him, flicking each completed memo with a flourish that sent it shooting over the top of her desk and into the air, scattering to its destination with far more grace than Claire was currently capable of.

She leaned back with a sigh, thinking of Cas and his fluctuating personalities. How he was equally the most stern and passionate man she'd ever known. "I think it's part of the training, actually." And just like that, Claire had fallen into a familiar pattern of work-place gossip with the biggest mouth in the Ministry. Potter knew what he was doing - she heaved a weary sigh, but continued in earnest. 

james sirius potter

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[james sirius potter]

we get some rules to follow

that and this, these and those

January 4, 2026
Claire Evangeline Slater

James raised an eyebrow. Claire had always been the proud sort, and he supposed one had to make all f this worth it even if it was all paperwork at the end of the day. But Merlin, there was no way it was that exciting. Important? Debatable. He’d done well at his job without meticulously following up on all his reports. They were completed eventually. But her declaration was short-lived. Not even Claire Slater could pretend memos or forms were as exciting as being in the field or border patrol. James made a mental note not to cross his superiors lest he end up like the spectacle before him.

He chuckled. His brother was a unique individual. There was no doubt he was Harry’s son as much as James. The distinct green eyes he’d inherited gave that away. In a way, James and Albus were complimentary. You had Happy and Grumpy. Balance. And then Lily entered the picture as pure chaos. ”I once charmed a raincloud to follow him around for two days at school.” It must have been his fourth or fifth year. He couldn’t remember. ”My mother didn’t find it as amusing as Lily and I did.” And mentally, he could picture his father trying to suppress a smile.

Claire busied herself with the memos in front of her. Opting to fold them by hand rather than simply charming them as most would have done. But, he supposed it was a way to pass the time. ”Not part—“ He began to answer but stopped as he watched her curiously fold one of the memos entirely upside down. Not really registering her comment about Cursebreakers and their prickly demeanors. His head tilted in evident curiosity, but before he could ask about it, she had flicked it away only for it to immediately turn back around and hit her square in the forehead. James tried to hold in his laugh, but it escaped nonetheless, and then he didn’t bother trying to hide it.

Quickly James stood from his chair, still laughing as he now had the wonderful mental image of that strangely folded memo hitting her in the forehead. ”Remind me never to touch your desk again…I wouldn’t want you to send one of those after me.” At this point, his laughter bordered on a fit of giggles, and he glanced back, her glare set perfectly on him. There was the risk of a hex coming this way, or perhaps she’d take out her desk on accident instead.

[ end ]

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