light up the dark [Cade]

[Bianca Alia Rivera]

14 February 2026

Valentine’s Day in South London wouldn’t be most people’s pick – but really, was there anywhere else Bianca would be? Even in better times, she had never been able to separate herself from her work, that drive to put in the extra hours and pour her blood, sweat, and tears into the job. For what? Yet to be decided – Bianca had always known she was working towards a better world, but years ago it had begun to feel like she was losing her way. Becoming somebody that she wasn’t sure she wanted to be. She still wasn’t sure about the path she had taken, the things she had done. What did seem clear enough to her was that conducting missions for the Order had given her a renewed sense of purpose. Or really, certain people in the Order that had given her a tantalizing bit of hope that things could be better in the future.

It was a new feeling, that warmth in her chest that told her all her best times were still ahead. She contemplated it as she walked briskly through the dark streets, ignoring the occasional catcall and taking care to walk under streetlights when possible. Once upon a time, Bianca had walked this beat so many times that she could recall exactly all the danger spots to investigate and all the people she could reliably drill for information. But she hadn’t been active in South London for years, ever since that night, and the best way to drive off the chills was by avoiding the topic altogether. Things had changed since her last visit, and her eyes swept the dirty streets and rundown buildings warily, searching for signs of movement. Eventually, she came to her intended target – a small bar tucked between two buildings, a hole in the wall that any average person would miss even if they walked right by it. It was one of a handful of storefronts that had been flagged by an Auror during their investigation into a notorious smuggling ring (the kind that had made front-page news when the Ministry eventually shut it down). Then it had been mysteriously removed from the list without the proper paperwork being filed. It was up to the Order to investigate why it had been removed in such a manner – simply a failure of the bureaucratic system, or a purposeful move by a Purifier to hide its role in a larger network?

Bianca pulled the door open roughly and stood at the entrance, eyes scanning the small crowd of wizards and witches that had gathered inside. Many sat at tables in duos or trios, deep in conversation with their hoods covering their faces. A few scattered individuals were seated at the bar nursing drinks. After pausing a moment to absorb the situation, Bianca strode purposefully to the bar and took a seat next to a familiar figure. “Buy a girl a drink?” she asked casually, eyes traveling across the bar until she located the bartender in the middle of serving another witch some distance away. She turned slightly in her seat until she was angled towards Cade, her dark gaze finally settling on his familiar features.

cade owen woodward

[cade owen woodward]

we need a storm

let's pray for rain now

February 14, 2025
Bianca Alia Rivera

Cade had arrived about an hour earlier than Bianca’s planned time of arrival. There was no sense in raising anyone’s attention by showing up together. Casually he leaned his elbow on the bar rested his chin on his hand, noting the stubble he had let grow over the past week. Fortunately, it wasn’t as if the Prophet had a dress code per se—although he preferred to dress well to fit his position. However, tonight he was dressed casually. Although, in a way, it was exciting, he felt like he had during his days as a journalist versus editor. It was the waiting game all over again, and it felt good to stretch those muscles once more. The Order had been busy these past weeks after Harry had called for unity, and after one got over all the looks of surprise in the pub that day—unity began.

It had been a pleasant surprise to see the familiar stoic expression of Bianca across the pub, though he’d managed to make his way unnoticed to her side before announcing himself. This was just another of many tasks they had worked on together, which was nice as now they could talk about lots of other topics that didn’t include lousy art. The area they were in today was one that Cade had visited many times in his younger years. It was still familiar to him, although much had changed since he’d moved into an Editor role. Bianca had told him about this hole in the wall place and what the Ministry records had said.

Nothing had stood out to him yet, the usual seedy creatures one found in such a nest—he hoped he wasn’t rusty from all those years behind a desk, but Cade liked to think his instincts were still sharp. Someone sat next to him, and he leaned off the bar to look at who had joined him, Bianca looked at him, and he gave her a friendly grin—giving a slight nod to her request. The bartender hadn’t walked in their direction yet. ”Come here often?” Cade glanced at the bartender again and then toward some tables in the corner. The same three men had been sitting there for the better part of forty-five minutes. ”I hear its one of the finer establishments in this part of London.” Cade drank the remnants of his glass of whiskey as the bartender finally made his way over. ”Another and whatever the lady would like.”

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[Bianca Alia Rivera]

Bianca settled into her seat, although she resisted the impulse to continue casing the bar. It was a tempting reaction, but one that was drilled out of you during Auror training. Most people took a first cursory glance, then focused on their business – doing otherwise wasn’t necessarily suspicious, but it did call attention. So she satisfied herself with studying the reflection from the glass behind the bar, and relying on what Cade would have noticed before her arrival. It might seem like an odd pairing, at first glance, but it worked well for this kind of mission. Journalism and law enforcement had similar requirements at times – a well-developed investigative ability, knowing how to read people and follow leads. They spent so much time working against each other in their careers that when you flipped the situation and gave them a common goal…well, she worked well with Cade. And he didn’t chew with his mouth open like her last stakeout partner, either.

She made a sound somewhere between a scoff and a laugh at his opening line, although she hid the smile because he looked much too satisfied with himself whenever he pulled one out of her. Bianca had grown more comfortable with his presence since they’d started working together – Harry’s reveal had been shocking enough, but Cade was lucky that Bianca had been distracted trying not to gape at the knowledge that Ana Karkaroff had been an Ouroboros agent all this time. Still, there were some things about their dynamic Bianca was determined to keep the same – giving him wildly incorrect information about Muggles whenever his knowledge gaps came up, and not letting Cade get away with anything just because he could shoot a charming smile at her.

“Does that usually work?” she asked, failing to completely keep the amusement out of her tone as she looked him over. After a decade of seeing him in suits and clean-shaven, it was a change to know that Cade was capable of dressing more casual. And it worked for him too, not that Bianca would betray that thought with anything more than the occasional lingering look. It was a reminder that he had layers, and there was something hiding under his Boy Scout attitude. But they were here for business. “It’s my first time actually,” she continued, tossing her hair back as she allowed herself to gaze down the bar, “So you’ll have to show me the ropes.” There wasn’t a better opening for him to share whatever, or whoever, he had noticed. Since they weren’t here in any official capacity, they were going to have to be creative. Still, after several weeks of being stuck behind a desk, Bianca felt a thrill at the idea of doing fieldwork again. As Cade flagged the bartender, Bianca fixed her gaze on him instead. “Double scotch, straight up.” Time to see why Felix swore by it.

cade owen woodward

[cade owen woodward]

we need a storm

let's pray for rain now

February 14, 2025
Bianca Alia Rivera

Cade kept telling Bianca she needed to relax. To take that look off her face, that focus in her gaze and weight off her shoulders. It wasn’t exactly the natural look for a place like this, especially when they tried to blend in. Cade, however, was much better at this. It was like his old training had kicked in, and he was a younger journalist canvasing seedy bars for his next story or meeting a source. It was exciting and much better than reviewing everybody else’s articles from behind his desk. Plus, he didn’t have to wear a tie. Now, Cade didn’t mind a tie, but it was nice dress casually once in a while. At least it wasn’t their first assignment. After the reunified groups sat down together to discuss a way forward and the shock of individuals from either side realizing who was also fighting the good fight—they had been paired up.

Many Helipath members Cade didn’t know personally unless they had been in the Order before, but he had been surprised to see Bianca there. However, when he thought about it further and based on their initial conversation in January, he found he wasn’t all that surprised. Bianca was still just as interesting to talk to, mainly because their banter came naturally and easily and typically consisted of Cade trying to catch her smiling where he was the one that usually was. So he didn’t mind the late nights and long hours in places like this. The company helped. ”Sometimes.” Cade responded, shrugging casually. It was an overused line, but he wasn’t here for that kind of business. They still waited for the bartender, and Cade took her opening to glance to his right again and the three men in the corner. It wasn’t anything that stood out as blatantly suspicious, but they were being quiet, which caught his attention. Groups of men in a shady bar, usually friends, were already drunk within the hour and yelling stories at one another about past times.

”Its one of the quieter bars, actually.” Cade began, waiting as the bartender poured their drinks and then went to the other side. ”Scotch?” He asked curiously. It was the first time she’d ordered it with him. ”Though I suppose it would be odd to come to a bar and not order anything.” He added, the men in the corner had nothing on the table in front of them. It could have been Purifier activity, maybe foot soldiers of some kind, or just some typical black market criminal activity. Either way, it was on his radar more than the loud patrons nearby.

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[Bianca Alia Rivera]

Bianca sighed slightly at Cade’s silent look. Given where they were and the nature of what they were doing, the pair couldn’t speak as freely as in other types of missions. Here, they had to carefully filter what they said with the knowledge that it could be overheard by any unsavory character. Still, he didn’t need to speak directly to communicate his message. That was because of a combination of factors. The first – he’d been telling her to relax on every single mission since they’d started working together. He was right, of course, not that she would ever admit it out-loud. Bianca was good at investigations, finding people who didn’t want to be found. But she was absolutely rubbish whenever the situation called for going undercover. Her style was much too direct for that, and the rigid set of her shoulders didn’t help her blend in. The second factor – they’d known each other for so long that Bianca had always vaguely picked up on his body language…but she’d admittedly been paying much more attention lately. He didn’t have to communicate so directly anymore when the set of his jaw or spark in his eyes told the same story.

So she forced herself to take a breath and relax her shoulders. It was hard to unwind with the thought of a job that still had to be done, but Cade’s presence helped. As many qualities as they shared, they were such different people. And he was undoubtedly much better at this part – putting people at ease, projecting an air of laidback ease and cool confidence as he worked. “Someday,” Bianca began, “I think I need to see you in action. My curiosity is growing.” She’d seen Cade plenty at the Ministry, of course, for every type of press conference or briefing imaginable. And a little extra too, as he was undoubtedly one of those reporters that tried to push their luck by entering places they shouldn’t. But she’d be fooling herself if she thought that was where investigative journalists did their best work. Besides, setting the business aside…she couldn’t imagine he would have any trouble getting any woman he wanted. And yet, here he was on Valentine’s Day, with her, working an Order mission in a seedy bar. It didn’t inspire much confidence in his personal life. Still, it could be for any number of conceivable reasons and the only way Bianca’s curiosity would be sated would be to see it with her own eyes.

Until then, Bianca refocused her attention on the mission. She shot Cade a look of approval before turning her head slightly to consider the three men he had hinted at. There were no drinks on the table and they were talking quietly among themselves. That would be tricky to find an opening – it was harder to formulate strategy towards a group, and there was no indication their judgment would be impeded by alcohol. Still, they were only men. Bianca shrugged slightly at Cade’s question as she sipped her scotch. She’d seen Felix order it enough times – he had such an obvious inclination for whisky. But it wasn’t her drink of choice. Instead, Bianca observed, “Sometimes an empty table just means they’re waiting for someone to buy them a drink.” She looked at Cade with the silent question in her eyes. It would be easy enough for her to peel one of them off from the rest of the group – after all, they were only men and men were weak. But taking him outside and meeting up with Cade there for a quick interrogation was risky. It might yield the information they need, or it might be a dead end. And then returning him to his group would require obliviating him and likely leaving the bar – a short mission, if so. But she could always continue the investigation from within the Ministry, if necessary. People rarely dared to cross Department Heads. Ultimately she left the decision to Cade.

cade owen woodward

[cade owen woodward]

we need a storm

let's pray for rain now

February 14, 2025
Bianca Alia Rivera

The nature of this work required skills from both their careers and even then, it was still dependent on the individual. Cade always had the people skills and the relaxed demeanor for existing in such a place and not be noticed. He’d seen Aurors and other Law Enforcement do the same, but he’d always laughed and stared at Bianca in disbelief on their first mission back in January after that meeting and before her promotion as how much she had stood out when they worked. Cade would admit that she was improving, but he liked having something to push her buttons with, just reminding her to relax when he had said it a thousand times before. It was all about balance. He was patient while she wanted to storm into the bar and ask questions with her wand out.

Cade couldn’t help but give her a half-grin. After all this time, it had only become more and more apparent how little of a personal life they each had, or at least any that was substantial. Basically, since he’d been promoted to the Senior staff, his personal life had been mostly traded for longer hours at the office. With Purifier activity over the years and business with the Order and then Ouroboros, he’d just kept it on the backburner. Still, they were both here, and it hadn’t been lost on Cade that it was Valentine’s day, although he could hardly complain about the company. ”But you have.” Cade assured her with a slightly smug look on his face. ”You no longer stare at me like a piece of bad art.” It was a reference to that meeting right at the beginning of the year. Cade could still remember how hard she had fought not to speak to him, and yet they had a very interesting conversation. Though he had to give credit to Harry and that meeting at the pub for how much time they had spent together.

The three men seemed harmless, but Cade learned not to underestimate. Plus, if they were not Purifiers, they could still be dangerous criminals with no morals about using various hexes, curses, or dark arts items to escape. There had been an uptick on enchanted items being confiscated, or so he had been told, but not just any enchantments—curses. To the point that that Cursebreakers were being consulted, at least his sources told him. Cade heard her speak but didn’t look back at her yet. His gut told him to wait. ”I would say finish your drink first. What’s the rush?” If one of them left, that opened an opportunity, and if not, they had a Plan B. ”I read an article yesterday, perhaps you caught it—Aurors confiscated an entire box of cursed sneakoscopes from a warehouse by the shore.” This business could have been just run-of-the-mill smuggling or whatnot but also something entirely more sinister.

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[Bianca Alia Rivera]

Bianca didn’t need to look at Cade to know he was about to pounce on an opportunity and say something clever – the tone of his voice had changed, and Bianca pursed her lips slightly as she waited for the other shoe to drop. He didn’t disappoint, and the subtle callback to their chance meeting at an art gallery earlier in the year had her rolling her eyes, even as she continued to face the bar. Things had changed dramatically since then, even if it had only been a month and something. For the longest time, Cade had been an acquaintance from work – but one to watch. Journalists were a dangerous choice of friend for government employees, especially ones serious about their careers. She had had trouble seeing Cade as anything but a potential threat, at least until the reunification of the Order had proven that they were fighting for the same cause. There was no doubt that they were a highly effective team together, and even that they could get along. But she’d needed the reminder that they weren’t on opposite sides of the chessboard.

She chanced a glance at him and this new kind of smile that was different from his typical easygoing grins. Her eyes lingered for a moment on the curve of his lips before moving up to meet his gaze. “Oh really?” she drawled, a subtle smile playing on her lips as she idly twirled a lock of hair around her finger. “How do I look at you now, then?” She didn’t expect an answer, and after a moment of charged silence turned the subject to a new one instead. Bianca enjoyed these little exchanges more than she would care to admit, and Cade had shown he was capable of surprising her. But they were ultimately here to work, and Bianca sipped at her scotch as she considered their strategy moving forward. The nature of the mission was about to change and she could no longer draw on her wide range of experience as an Auror and Interpol agent. They were rarely allowed to engage with the target during a stakeout - not unless they witnessed illegal activity - and raids were conducted with no subtlety at all. But she thought there might be a way to combine the two, find a perfect balance between quietly extracting the target to a quieter location before commencing her real work. Interrogations had always been a strength of hers, after all. Bianca made a noise of disapproval – nothing more than a quick ‘tsk’ – as Cade suggested she finish her drink first. He mentioned the arrests made earlier in the week, and Bianca pretended to consider the subject as if the file hadn’t been put on her desk long before the information had been released to the media, or as if she hadn’t immediately passed details onto Cade long before his newspaper had decided to publish it.

“Tricky business, cursed objects,” Bianca observed detachedly. “Sneakoscopes on their own don’t seem like more than someone looking to make a quick galleon. Most people wouldn’t consider it worth pursuing.” She thought back to Cade’s earlier comment, his suggestion to wait. She smirked slightly even as she continued to look straight ahead. “But some people know there’s a time to wait and a time to act. Be right back.” Still without looking at Cade, Bianca slipped off her cardigan and casually set it down next to her, revealing her top with low cleavage and large swathes of bare skin on display. It wouldn’t have been her first choice, at all, in any normal circumstance – but sometimes there was a benefit to being noticed. She slid off her seat and slowly crossed the room, hips swaying as she made her way to the dusty jukebox in the corner -- taking care to pass in front of the table in question as she walked by. With three pairs of eyes on her (maybe four if she was lucky), Bianca made a show of leaning over the recent addition to the bar as she considered the song selection, counting a few beats in her head before choosing one at random and weaving her way back to the bar. She brought her glass to her lips as she murmured, “Let’s see what I catch, hm?”

cade owen woodward

[cade owen woodward]

we need a storm

let's pray for rain now

February 14, 2025
Bianca Alia Rivera

Bianca was hardly surprised by his quick responses these days, and he never missed an opportunity for one. As they had grown more comfortable with one another, he had chanced more and more of them, especially when he was sure that she wouldn’t hex him for it. Thankfully, she didn’t at his comment, and he paused before answering. They couldn’t get too off track. Otherwise, they wouldn't get any information out of this mission—at least none he could pass back on to the Order. Still, he didn’t answer and instead kept his smile from before. The topic changed, which was probably best so they could continue their work. The easygoing banter between them made assignments such as this that much more tolerable. He couldn’t imagine if he was assigned with some of the other members. Cas wasn’t one for small talk, and Potter talked too much, plus he was jumpy in the sense that he preferred to act rather than think.

Cade didn’t have much of a chance to respond on the topic of these cursed items. They stuck out in his mind because, in his experience, sometimes the most innocuous of things turned out to be something. But Bianca disagreed on waiting, and before he knew it, she was out of her chair. Cade resisted the urge to reach out and grab her arm instead of picking up his glass of whiskey to drink again. His eyes not leaving her figure as she sauntered over to the jukebox. Early on, he’d stopped feeling an overwhelming sense of concern and chivalry when she acted like this—she was incredibly capable, and often he ended up resisting the urge to roll his eyes. But he wasn’t rolling his eyes this time, noting her chosen outfit for the night, but he told himself he was just keeping an eye on her for her safety.

Drinking more whiskey helped him blend in while he noticed her dramatic display at the jukebox. Now, if he made a comment about that she would surely hex him, but he was a man, after all, and certainly not blind. Finally, she returned, and Cade shifted his focus to the three men at the table. It was a sad feeling that he forced himself to look at them rather than Bianca at the moment, but he didn’t want to be caught staring like the other people in the vicinity. One of them had begun to watch Bianca from when she arrived at the jukebox to when she walked back to her seat. When Bianca was close enough, Cade looked away. ”You have one’s attention.” Cade muttered—well two technically. He finished his whisky and waved to the bartender. While the other two men kept speaking in what appeared to be a hushed tone, the third kept watching Bianca until he flagged down a passing waitress. Cade kept him in his peripheral vision instead looking at the approaching bartender for a refill.

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[Bianca Alia Rivera]

Bianca and Cade had fundamentally different styles, but that tended to be the reason that their partnership ultimately worked. She had plenty of experience working with criminals in the Ministry – through stakeouts, interrogations, and working crime scenes. She’d seen just about everything in her decade with the department, and it meant she wasn’t shy about approaching suspects or dangerous situations. Once, that fear had paralyzed her -- but she had long since come to terms with the idea that inaction always carried a higher price, in the end. But she could be impatient, and embarrassingly unskilled at working undercover. That was where Cade came in – reporters didn’t have the luxury of a badge when they needed to dig up information and find the next big headline, and he had much more experience at working subtly and cautiously to reach his goals. And he was a more pleasant conversation partner than Bianca – he didn’t shoot dark looks at anyone that dared to approach him.

She would need to channel a little of his charm now that she’d made her move. The thought made her purse her lips with displeasure – Bianca wasn’t charismatic. It wasn’t how she operated, and she’d rather leave it to Cade whenever she could. But she was impatient to get the information that surely lurked in one of these men’s minds, and there was no doubt that she could work more effectively in a less public setting. It just so happened Cade didn’t come with the right set of equipment for this mission – but there was more he could do in a few minutes. He didn’t look pleased as Bianca returned to the bar, and she quirked an eyebrow in amusement as she polished off the rest of her drink. “Don’t be jealous,” Bianca murmured back, using the glass to hide the movement of her lips as she swallowed a laugh at Cade’s expression.

There wasn’t enough time to study Cade the way she might have liked, or examine her disappointment that their brief conversation was over for now. They had started to go down an interesting avenue of thought, one that Bianca was surprised to find herself keen to explore further. But that wasn’t why they had come to South London, and their mission ultimately came first. For the first time, she struggled to set aside her own interest and refocus on the job. Still, as a waitress approached the pair, Bianca tore her eyes away from her partner and accepted the drink with an empty smile that was decidedly unlike her usual self. She brought the new glass to her lips and glanced back at the table – two men continued their furtive conversation, but the third was watching her. She gave a low chuckle as she kept her dark gaze locked on him, although her mind was already racing two steps ahead in a faint outline of a plan. “Back alley,” she suggested to Cade, keeping her tone quiet. “I’ll bring him in a minute. Wand ready.” She didn’t glance to see if Cade had moved to take the back exit, since her focus was fully trained on the man that had just risen from his table.

cade owen woodward

[cade owen woodward]

we need a storm

let's pray for rain now

February 14, 2025
Bianca Alia Rivera

Nobody would have ever figured an Editor of an esteemed publication such as The Daily Prophet to ever grace the seedier parts of town with his presence. But truthfully, Cade missed that part of his work. Traveling to places for a story or to look into a lead and meeting people from all walks of life. Deep down, he would always be that adventurous boy looking for justice in the world and helping those that had been wronged. These last few months with the Order and these assignments had brought a bit of color in his life he realized he had been missing.

His role with the Order had been obvious considering his work, and ever since his recruitment, he was the flow of information from the paper. In a way, his fieldwork had been to just show up to work, and his rise up to Editor had opened more information channels. It was a much different life than what Bianca came from, he imagined. Aurors were very straightforward individuals, they had a job to do, and they did it. The finesse of handling certain situations seemed to be lost on them at times—he recalled an Auror participating in the destruction of a building once.

Cade’s eyes looked to the side at Bianca and her comment. Jealousy was not an emotion that was ever on the top of the list of whatever he was feeling. He supposed that those lowlifes weren’t ever worthy of being in the presence of a woman like Bianca. The waitress brought a drink over, and Cade reached into his pocket slowly to pull out coins to pay for his own drink and signal he’d heard and understood. Casually, he placed the coins on the counter, nodded to the bartender, and exited the bar as if he’d only come in for a drink before going home.

It was chilly outside, but Cade didn’t stop to enjoy the scenery, taking a quick turn upon his exit of the pub and down an alley full of shadows—listening if the door opened again. And per Bianca’s instructions he had his wand ready as he mentally kept track of the passing time. They’d already made a rule where if she hadn’t exited in a certain amount of time he would go find her, but he hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

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[Bianca Alia Rivera]

There were some members of the Order that would know how to handle a situation like this. Bianca rarely worked in close contact with those sorts, but she knew that they were there, doing their part for the organization in the shadows. Sometimes the Ministry relied on those avenues too, criminal informants and agents that became intimately familiar with the dark corners of the wizarding world and how to cloak their true intentions to fly under the radar. But that wasn’t Bianca – she’d never met an obstacle she couldn’t simply blast through, and anybody who spoke to her could never doubt that she was anything besides straightforward and ruthlessly efficient. It was torture to put on an empty smile and hide the burning thought that I can’t wait to break into your mind and see what you know – but the last thing she wanted was to stumble into an embarrassing failure. So she went with it.

It registered in the back of her mind that Cade had quietly slipped away – he seemed to be living there rent-free more and more often these days – so Bianca didn’t waste any time in hooking her bait. She leaned in close to murmur in the man’s ear, fighting hard to stop the shiver of disgust at the close proximity. His friends had turned back to their conversation, so she took advantage of their distraction to pull him towards the exit to follow Cade. The particular nature of this mission wasn’t very common, but they did occasionally need to split up and had therefore perfected the routine of silently finding the other again. Bianca gave a loud laugh to let him know she was on her way as she pushed the man away from the dim lights of the street back-first into the shadowy alley. She literally couldn’t give her partner a bigger target.

“Still better than spending last Valentine’s in the sewers,” Bianca decided, her nose wrinkled in disgust as she circled around the now-Stunned wizard to stand by Cade. She wordlessly slipped on her cardigan – a signal to Cade that he might also get a hex in the back if he ever chose to comment on her choice of clothes – as she flashed back to last Valentine’s Day with the Recapture Unit. They’d tracked an escaped inmate to a particular street, only to watch him disappear into the sewers. The lesson of that experience was clear – never start a firefight in a narrow tunnel unless you want to watch a curse fly past to burst a pipe behind you. “But I need you conscious,” she murmured, her attention already diverted and studying the shadowy figure of the man on the ground. She crouched beside him and jabbed her wand at him as she cast Petrificus Totalus. His body turned rigid, and only then did she revive him and watch his eyes widen in shock and fear. Bianca didn’t waste any time to stare deeply into his eyes and dive into his mind – not a skill she used often, and never for personal reasons, but the Ministry did occasionally need a quick confession.

After a few moments, Bianca broke the spell and straightened again. With a quick flick of her wand, she watched her Memory Charm sink into the wizard as his eyes unfocused and fogged over. “He thinks an awful lot about apothecaries for someone who scored a D on his potions OWL,” she observed, a note of biting sarcasm in her tone. She thought back to when she had first met Cade – as a fresh Auror trainee repeatedly warned away from the recently-promoted junior reporter pestering law enforcement officials about corrupt apothecaries. She couldn’t stop the small nostalgic laugh that escaped her as she asked, “That’s your specialty, isn’t it?” As it was, the man hadn’t known much, but it would still be worth looking into the names of the apothecaries she’d seen to investigate them for ties to the Purifiers. And as none of them had appeared on the list she’d originally sent to Cade, that line of effort could be closed too. Bianca shivered slightly as a blast of wind swept through the alley, and glanced up at the completely-dark night sky. “God, I need another drink.”

cade owen woodward
[End post Bianca!]

[cade owen woodward]

we need a storm

let's pray for rain now

February 14, 2025
Bianca Alia Rivera

Fortunately, Cade didn’t have to go looking for Bianca. It wasn’t long before he heard the door open and her laugh, and he had his wand out ready. It wasn’t as if the target was particularly dangerous, but Cade had learned early not to underestimate an opponent. Much like he had sensed to never underestimate Bianca—not that he saw her as an enemy of any kind, not like Aurors saw Journalists. The man came into view, and Cade stunned him, and the body dropped to the ground with a thud. Honestly, in this part of town, random scenes like this didn’t attract that much attention.

Bianca revived him, even though the previous spell made it so he couldn’t move and Cade merely kept watch while she probed his mind for information. She was a powerful Legilimens, though Cade was hardly shy with whatever was on his mind. Finally, she came back to the present, and he thought about what those findings might mean. ”Once upon a time, it was.” Cade commented as he again kept watch while she obliviated him. Mission complete.

Cade hadn’t worried about whether or not this mission would end up successful. Since they’d teamed up, their success rate had been high on their assignments. But, they’d been easy in the sense that Cade even looked forward to them—even if he’d barely slept in days due to deadlines at the Paper or back-to-back Order meetings. Though he didn’t mind admitting that he liked her company and she wasn’t as standoffish with him as she had been all those months ago.

A breeze passed by them, and he noted Bianca’s shiver. Cade removed his jacket and offered it to her. ”Here.” and he also noted the black night sky Bianca had been looking at. ”There’s a pub not far from here, far nicer than this one. How about that drink?”

[ end ]

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