bitter with the sweet | harry

[Claire Evangeline Slater]

never enough.

THE HOUNDS AND HARRIER'S WAS NOT A HARD place to find. And yet, she'd taken four trains and a bus to get there. She'd privately decided to stop apparating a few weeks prior, as her affliction had grown to prominence in Claire's life, so had her realisation on how broad it could be. She considered herself lucky she hadn't splinched herself to oblivion beforehand. It limited her ability for solo travel, which meant she was almost always late to everything.

Wandering around the quaint little village, by the time Claire finally made her way through the doors, the sun was beginning to set. She'd never been more relieved to arrive in a pub. Shrugging out of her coat thankfully as she scanned the space, side-stepping a sleeping dog on her way to the bar and knocking in to one table as she nearly missed it entirely. "Please, tell me you have some Beetle Berry Whiskey, or something." Claire slumped in to a stool and eyed Harry thankfully. "I need it strong and neat." She looked sternly at her fingers, feeling entirely hopeless.

Harry Potter's return had been something worth rejoicing. Just when Claire felt sure her world was crumbling apart, some semblance of control was granted to her. Though, it was a shame that Victoire's health had failed, Claire couldn't deny that it felt good to wield some kind of gentle power. That she could work alongside the auror, and even Cas, to try and mend what was once so utterly broken. Harry had returned, and he looked undeniably composed as Claire looked upon him. Representing everything that she admired and respected. She kept this hungry admiration to herself. "I know I'm late," She muttered to her hands, shaking her head in disapproval of her own actions. 

HARRY JAMES POTTER

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[HARRY JAMES POTTER]

Harry frowned as he peered at the glass he held before him. That was one stubborn lipstick stain. Muggle means did not seem to want to get it off. He wondered if he ought to call Arthur Weasley to enchant his glass washer, but then thought better of it. How many times had Mr Weasley's inventions gone wrong? With a sigh, Harry resignedly placed the glass back in the washer, hoping that after another spin, it would be clean. It was unlikely, but he couldn't be bothered with it any more now.

A great commotion spread through the pub in the form of one Claire Slater, who nearly knocked over a table in her haste to get to the bar. Harry fixed her with a half smile, raising a brow as she practically begged for a glass of whisky. "Your wish is my command," said Harry with a chuckle, turning to fix the drink she had requested. He slid the whisky highball across the bar to her. "Don't worry about it. What is the meaning of time anyways?" asked Harry with a smirk. "You wanted to talk?" he added after a moment, noticing the slightly rumpled appearance of Claire. It was unusual - she was a carefully put together young woman, and he wondered what had stricken her so.

Claire Evangeline Slater

[Claire Evangeline Slater]

never enough.

CLAIRE WAITED UNTIL THE GLASS OF NEAT, almost iridescent whiskey was placed in front of her before lifting her head. Hands smoothing down the hair that fell at her neck as she stared tiredly at Harry. She pulled her hands away from her neck to grab the glass and took a long, bitter pull. The beauty of beetle berry whiskey was that it was a little sweeter, but just as potent as a typical brew. A kind of whiskey Claire could stomach.

"As philosophical as ever," She commented, attempting to tease but failing as her lips refused to comply. "Shame you're not my boss anymore," She deadpanned, tongue in cheek as she looked anywhere but at Harry's face. He inspired Claire to spill her guts, but she found the words stuck somewhere at the back of her throat. She'd fought so hard to hide her wyrd quirk from everyone who knew her, but it was beginning to become unavoidable. A metaphorical noose around her neck, tightening as time went on.

"I just... it's fine." She pasted on a thin smile and took another sip from her glass, letting it set on her tongue for a moment before she swallowed. "Work." She added, tongue burning pleasantly, as she set the glass down and ran her finger along the rim restlessly. "How're things?" She asked, changing the subject and lifting her brows expectantly. "Anything you need from me?" She asked, almost desperately. Like she needed something to do. 

HARRY JAMES POTTER

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[HARRY JAMES POTTER]

It was a relief to see Claire again, thought Harry. Though they had worked together closely on Order business, he missed investigating various dark wizards and claims with her. As soon as she'd joined the trainee programme, Harry had taken a shine to her for her decisive and thoughtful manner. She had reminded him of a more forceful Hermione. A pang of distress shot through him at the thought of his late best friend. Harry chuckled at her comment. "Reckon I had a lot of time to make up for. Being unobservant and unphilosophical," he replied with a grin.

"And what benefits would a philosophical auror bring to the table? I feel like sometimes we had to just act based on our judgement, not based on morals," Harry added after a moment. Harry looked at her and wondered if he had the same effect on his protege as Dumbledore had once had on him. The impression that perhaps he was x-raying her, or that she could share anything with him. The latter was certainly true - Harry trusted Claire to do everything she could for the greater good. However, Claire seemed reluctant to really dig into why she'd asked to meet him, responding instead with feeble answers.

Arching a brow, Harry leaned forward. "Really? Fine?" asked Harry. "I haven't been keeping up with the department since... well, since I made the idiotic decision to disappear." Harry's lips twisted downwards in a frown. He honestly didn't know what had come over him. "Who is in charge now? I heard Bianca had been promoted to head of department, but who is head auror?" asked Harry. He waved off her next question. "Can't complain, running a pub is a lot easier than catching dark wizards," he said. "Well, unless you can think of a way to find out more about why Elaine faked her death and what she has planned coming up..." he frowned, lost in thought. "Do you have any idea? Who could be a spy in the ministry? There certainly is one... it would be silly for her not to..."

Claire Evangeline Slater

[Claire Evangeline Slater]

never enough.

THE PROBLEM WITH HARRY POTTER WAS THAT HE was just charming enough to inspire a great honesty. Claire found herself laughing reluctantly, dropping her gaze and rolling her eyes as she thought of all things she was doing wrong and all the ways she was disappointing everybody that mattered. Of course, the only saving grace was that Harry Potter was also just important enough to inspire perfection.

"I think you're right," Claire answered, her gaze narrowing slightly. She often felt boxed in by legislation. The importance of staying within the perimeters of magical law. Something she had already displayed a lack of ability in. "Unfortunately, I don't think that's what the Ministry would like to hear." She sniffed delicately, her mouth pursed as she thought of Border Patrol and her inability to walk in a straight line - or keep her mouth shut. She had missed Harry terribly. He'd always had an admirable vision of justice and Auror expectations.

She smiled at his candid opinion of his past decisions. Harry was very honest, especially with himself. Where Claire struggled to hold herself accountable for her failures, Harry did not. She could not relate to him in that respect, though she admired him nonetheless. "Just some suit..." Claire's nose scrunched and her shoulders slouched forward. "It's like they're afraid of stepping out of line lately," She added with a reluctant hush, afraid that someone might hear her wavering loyalty. "I don't feel like I'm doing anything... well... meaingful." She spat, the words more bitter on her tongue than the whiskey.

"If I did I would have her in chains already." Claire sighed, lifting her glass to finish the whiskey before it had even fully settled into the glass. She was frustrated by the lack of movement on the Elaine Dupree front. The woman was as slippery as an eel, and twice as cunning. Claire's hackles rose at the mere mention of her. How one single, cruel girl could have such an overwhelming and widespread impact was baffling. "It's likely some kind of subterfuge." She muttered, her voice strained from the sting of the whiskey as it burned on its way down, she cleared her throat carefully. "Maybe she's the spy," Claire joked weakly, rubbing at her nose and shaking her head. "Polyjuice, perhaps?" It was a poor attempt at a solution. "To be quite frank, I don't trust anybody right now." 

HARRY JAMES POTTER

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[HARRY JAMES POTTER]

Harry pressed his lips together, opting instead to simply shrug. The ministry often touted their morality, though very rarely did they actually act as such. So much legislation and bureaucracy had prevented many half formed plans whilst he had been in power. His disappearance and apparent retirement from the auror department had meant he no longer had to deal with persuading the minister of why or how they operated the way they did. The aurors had always had more slack than the rest of the department, but still rules and regulations were required.

"I can believe that," replied Harry with a snort. The ministry had a reputation to uphold, one that had been so frequently... well, destroyed. "If it's not one puppet, it's another," he added after a moment. He recalled the days when Pius Thicknesse had been in power, but a simple puppet for Voldemort. Harry couldn't believe that Krum was being controlled one way or another, nor was he doing much of anything at all. "Change is terrifying. They've all got to know that. But nothing really impactful happens without change," said Harry at last.

Claire's hushed admission brought a frown to Harry's face. "Claire, you are making a difference. Sometimes it's the small things that matter. Even if right now, keeping your head down and plodding on seems like it doesn't matter... it does. Trust me, I know the agony of it," said Harry. He ran his fingers through his hair without a thought, instead focused on Claire's words. "Bianca? A spy? I don't think so... she's too stubborn. Almost as much as you. I doubt Elaine would ever be able to get close enough to her to put her under," Harry mused. "We'll find something. I promise. I... I've had an idea. But I can't say much," said Harry glancing around the bar. "I think we will start learning more, and fast."

Claire Evangeline Slater

[Claire Evangeline Slater]

never enough.

IT WAS GRATIFYING TO BE AGREED WITH, especially when such agreement came from an admirable source. She found herself leaning towards Harry, hands around her glass as she nodded, her dizziness momentarily forgotten. "Right!" She exclaimed, a little embarrassed by her own bitter enthusiasm as she looked down with another, quieter, "exactly..."

Her chest bubbled with hope and passion for all the things she might do if she just had the reach. The truth was, as much as Claire wished to be successful and admired, she did truly want to make a difference. Knowing that such a dark, terrible organisation existed was a hard pill for her to swallow. She wanted the world to be better, at any cost. Unfortunately, her vision of 'better' did not always align with her peers. But Harry, ever The Chosen One, he always had something worthwhile to say. Oddly eloquent in his maturity.

"How do you change anything when your blocked in on all sides?" She asked with a blistered sincerity, her eyes shining with the whiskey and sheer, muddled exhaustion. She thought, for a moment, about telling him of her troubles. Alas, she was too embarrassed, her fingers doing an anxious loop around the rim of her glass until it left an indent in her fingertip.

She smiled thinly as he came to her aide, his voice low and soothing. Unable to look him in the eye as she nodded at his assurance, taking a very stern, British approach to compliments. Clinging to the very shreds of her paranoia in an attempt to hit something meaningful. Though, even as Claire forged her own way in the endless investigation, Harry had methods of his own. He always had an ace up his sleeve, she thought, lifting her head sharply as he spoke hesitantly of his own plans. She felt the sting of feeling left out, as if she were missing some great ploy.

"What do you mean?" She asked tentatively, pushing her glass to one side so that she could lean over the bartop. "Are you up to something, Potter?" She asked with raised brows, an excited little jitter to her knees. He looked reluctant in his admittance, and she wondered briefly if he'd only spoken in an effort to make her feel better, more useful. "Can I help?" She offered, forcing herself back into her stool as she donned a stoic expression. 

HARRY JAMES POTTER

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!