The Sign of Four (Claire)

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Another day, another file placed in front of Stephen Holmes at his desk. A wizard suspected of a few Muggle killings, how original. Still, if the Aurors couldn’t find him, then it was up to the Hitwizards, which lately had meant Stephen. He wasn’t sure why his services were becoming more and more required; it wasn’t as though that little blood purist group had done much recently to warrant suspicion. Perhaps the new Minister was paranoid they were just waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike; personally Stephen thought after the attacks on Kings Cross they’d gone soft. It was obvious to him that they’d wanted to get to the students on the train as well, but they had failed in that endeavor.

Stephen blew an exhale of breath from his lips and dug his palms into his eyes, rubbing the sleep from them. He’d been up nearly half the night working on a case from his outside work; lately those were far more interesting than anything the Ministry had deigned to put in front of him. It helped that he now had a roommate to assist; John was a former doctor, and though Stephen had initially not wanted to admit it, the man was proving to be a useful ally in his cases. As he brought his hands down from his eyes, he heard footsteps come towards him and stop in front of his desk. He looked up, a passive expression on his face. “Yes?” he asked shortly, wondering why this woman was coming to bother him.

Claire Evangeline Slater

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This was absurd. Ridiculous. She'd accepted the position as Auror trainer and as a result several of her cases had been distributed to other aurors, or in this case Hit wizards. It shouldn't have bothered her. She's known it would happen. But she would have like to have been consulted on which cases. This one in particular was one she would have refused to give up. She'd picked it up a few weeks earlier because the previous Auror was on leave and she'd made quite a bit of headway on it.

It was too late now to take it back, the call was over her head. So why was she here? Well, as previously stated the case was taken without her knowledge. Which meant the case file was shockingly bare, her own notes not in the file. She at least owed it to the new case owner to provide all the information she'd collected. Not just as a courtesy but because her name was in the case. She refused to let it change hands incomplete, unwilling to let her reputation be tarnished by her superiors blunder.

So, here she was. Approaching the desk of the Hit Wizard in question who looked up at her as she came to a stop in front of his desk. Her own expression was one of pure professionalism, no hint of her annoyance. Immediately she set the much, much thicker file in front of him, intentionally covering the one he'd been given. "this is the file to that case."

@stephen

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Stephen watched as the young woman dropped the rather large file on his desk, but said nothing. He was far too busy analyzing her. The demeanor, the way she carried herself, her obvious frustration with flopping the papers down intentionally on top of the original file. She was not a Hitwizard, Stephen had worked in this particular department for years and would have obviously know if she was in his department. She clearly was part of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement however; she did look like she was trying to seem like an imposing figure. She must have been promoted recently; wasn’t there an Auror who had gone and left for America? What was his job..ah, the Auror Trainer of all the trainees. Stephen knew he’d never be asked to train anyone for Hitwizards, they would simply not have enough employees by the time he was through with them. Still, anyone who was a trainee of anyone at the Ministry would get less cases to tackle as to not overwhelm them, again another reason why Stephen would have made an abhorrent trainer.

Making that connection, Stephen began to formulate the name that matched the face. She’d been in the news recently, she had been the one to kill the terrorist Desirae Rousseau. Casey...Christine..”Claire Slater,” Stephen finally spoke out loud. He glanced down at the stack of paperwork, then back up at her. “I’d much rather hear a verbal report of this case than read through all of this,” he told her. He nodded at the chair in front of his desk, waiting for her to sit.

Claire Evangeline Slater

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Claire knew that look. The methodical glint as he inspected her. What he was seeing, she honestly didn't know. But this was Stephen Holmes. He had a reputation around the Ministry. His gaze was almost scrutinizing, as if searching for the tiniest of flaws or imperfections. Claire just stood a little straighter, her eyes narrowing in return. Finally though the older man spoke. Just her name. "That's correct." She answered, though there probably wasn't much point. He sounded quite sure of himself.

She raised an eyebrow at his request. A verbal report? Why? And the way he worded it made it sound like it wasn't a request at all, but more like a command. Oh curse Claire's manners, or she'd refuse and leave right. than. She didn't move yet as she gaze him the same sort of scrutinizing look he'd given her. From what she'd hard about the Hitwizard he preferred to work alone, with extremely poor social skills. Naturally he should prefer to read the report, and yet here he was asking for a verbal presentation. What was he after? Or was he simply bored? Finally, after several silent moments she moved to the chair he'd nodded to and took a seat. "Everything is in the file. Why would you prefer to hear it?"

@stephen

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Stephen raised an eyebrow as she challenged his request to verbally recount the case. He had heard that Claire took her job seriously, far more serious than most of her colleagues and some of his two he imagined. Still, she was young and still had the stubborn edge of a teenager dwelling within her. “I could answer ‘because I said so’, but you would not be satisfied with that answer; you’re a straight shooter, to the point, not someone to get all flowery and bogged down in the details. I can appreciate that,” he began, inclining his head as he gave her what he considered a compliment.

“I can read the case file of course; flipping through the stack of papers could take me ten, fifteen minutes at first. But with your demeanor and the way you purposefully placed this file on my desk covering the original made me realize that this case is important to you. You’re not happy that this case was handed off without notice, don’t feel too bad they do this a lot handing off cases from Aurors to Hitwizards only to notify the Auror afterwards. You’re busy training the newcomers to see if they are worthy of joining the ranks of your team so that a repeat of the Second Wizarding War does not happen; with the Elaine girl seemingly lying low, you’ll want to make sure everyone is prepared. Getting back to the point at hand; you have a connection with this case, you know what are the important facts and what I should skim over. Therefore it is more beneficial for you to tell me what I need to know, unless you plan on coming with me on this one,” he said. He fell silent, watching her intently. He always said a lot in one sitting; it was his way of going deeper in his character analysis. It also didn’t hurt that he thought Claire’s reaction would be rather different than the Aurors he usually communicated with.

Claire Evangeline Slater

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Claire casually reclined in the chair and crossed her right leg over her left as she listened to his explanation. He was right, she wouldn't be satisfied by 'I said so', nor would she have listened. It was an inadequate answer, and lacked no real purpose. He was also right to assume that she was straight forward and to the point. She didn't answer though, because he obviously wasn't done speaking. She could tell that he meant it as a compliment, something she'd heard was quite rare for the Hitwizard, so she should appreciate that he'd given one so quickly. Then came the long, methodical explanation and both Claire's eyebrows raised. Reading into her actions, picking them apart and interpreting what it all meant. But he was right, on all the points he made.

His being right didn't make her feel better. It just reminded her of why she was annoyed.

"No, I don't intend on accompanying you." Was her initial reaction. She wouldn't. It wasn't her case anymore, and rarely did Aurors and Hitwizards mingle in cases. "You're right. Exactly right. It was my case. I don't appreciate pointless politics and reassignments. But I can appreciate your track record for completing cases, so I'm not concerned about it's status." She answered slowly, each word deliberate and carefully considered before coming out. After a moment she sighed, as if swallowing her annoyances.

"There's a map in the file of his comfort zone. Up until now he's always hunted inside it, but that's likely to change if he thinks someone is onto him. In the beginning it was weeks between kills but the last three have been days. Magical residue has been found at each scene. Crude, but effective. The work of a dark artifact most likely. A wand wouldn't leave the same trace, which means they're unorganized and sloppy. So either they are unaware of the trail they are leaving, simply don't care, or unable to use any other means." There were many theories behind it. Maybe an expelled witch or wizard. Perhaps a Squibb trying desperately to use magic. Or they were underage and simply unable to use magic advanced enough to kill. She kept those theories to herself. She'd wanted more evidence before making any decisions.

@stephen
(I'mma just make stuff up about the case XD)

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Stephen leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk.  He steepled his fingers and pressed them against his lips as Claire went on about how she didn't appreciate politics and reassignments.  Well, he couldn't really blame her for that.  He inclined his head slightly as she complimented his track record; he knew that already of course, but he didn't mind hearing it again.  "At this rate he probably realizes that someone is onto him, he'll be branching out.  Using a Dark artifact instead of a wand, or to be more crude some sort of knife would mean he got the artifact from someone he knows, he trusted.  Have you checked all the shops in Diagon, Knockturn and Horizon?  Perhaps he got something from there."

Stephen stopped talking, and shifted in his seat.  "Is there a reason you are an Auror and not a Hitwizard?" he asked her, curious now.  "You clearly hold yourself to a high standard, and don't like feeling a failure when cases are reassigned, particularly when you know you've done nothing wrong.  Hitwizards are assigned cases from Aurors when the head of Magical Law Enforcement feels we need to step in; clearly this is something you disagree with.  So, why Auror and not Hitwizard," he asked her, his eyes boring into her.  


Claire Evangeline Slater

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Stephen spoke with the same callous casualness that she did. It was strange hearing a tone she used so often coming from another person. Claire had never heard it from one of her co-workers. None of them. This was the first time she'd heard it. It didn't surprise her that it was from Stephen though. "I have, along with several contacts in the underground. They've been dead ends. Maybe they are too scared to talk, but I doubt it. I believe it's new to the country, an illegal import. If it weren't at least one person would have an idea what it was. There's a foreign artifacts dealer I've heard rumors about that might have an idea, but he's more elusive than the suspect." Tracking down that dealer had been her focus. He moved constantly and irrationally. One place a few days, the next a week, the next a night. She'd tried every combination she could to figure out a pattern, but no luck.

Claire raised an eyebrow as the subject suddenly shifted from the case to her personal career decision. No warning. There was a moment when she was tempted to refuse to answer, or lie. But that seemed completely counter productive, and only end with his reading further into it than she'd like. "Because my parents wanted an Auror in the family." Simple. There was little else to it. Claire had been groomed for it. Her parents dream, successful children in respectable careers. Auror seemed to be at the top of their list. So, being the oldest, she'd been groomed into the position.

@stephen

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Stephen nodded, he was glad to hear that Claire had contacts underground in the black markets of Dark artifacts - they would prove useful.  He misliked hearing that many were too scared to talk though.  "People will always talk, one way or another," he said simply.  There were a variety of ways; torture, bribery, sweet words.  Stephen wasn't above any and all of that, not that he was going to tell Claire this.  While she was very like him, direct and to the point, he doubted she'd approve of some of his methods.  He knew people whispered about him throughout the office, the Ministry even.  But they were just whispers; people didn't seem to have enough gall to say anything to his face.

When Claire stated that their family wanted an Auror, Stephen was quiet for a few moments.  His face remained expressionless, passive.  And then, he spoke.  "That is the most idiotic reason to choose a career," he finally said out loud, sharp and matter of fact.  "If I did what my parents wanted me to do I'd be sitting on a seat of velvet somewhere on the floor the Minister herself fits, probaly twenty pounds heavier like my dear brother.  So I ask, why did you not follow your own lead?" He leaned back again, watching.


Claire Evangeline Slater

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Claire leaned forward as he spoke, her eyes narrowing slightly. What did that mean? Well, obviously it could mean many things, but she was hoping to be wrong. "Or perhaps they know nothing." She stated coldly. Claire had a very strict moral code on that. Yes, Claire had killed someone. But she would never go outside the law or her orders. In that moment her orders had been clear. Stop Desirae Rousseau at any cost. That included death. "People may talk, but they will say whatever it takes to pacify you if the information isn't freely given." Claire personally did not believe alternative interrogation methods worked for that reason.

Of course that was his reaction to her answer. Why was she surprised? The harsh statement of calling her decision idiotic and asking why she hadn't followed her own desires. Claire ran her hand across her leg, smoothing out a wrinkle from her Auror's robe. "It was my parents desire and a respectable career. I saw no purpose to change the path I was already on and pursue another career." She'd never considered a different career growing up. Never let herself consider it. Now? Well, she wasn't nearly as sure as before.

@stephen

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Stephen inclined his head politely as Claire disagreed with his words.  "Or perhaps the right thing to say is what gets them to talk more than insolent questioning," he responded mildly.  He knew that the younger Auror would disagree with his words, but she wasn't one to express a violently passionate argument against his.  He waved that aside with his hand; they needed to move on from the subject to the one more pressing; her career choices.

"Do not get me wrong, the position of the Auror is a hightly respectable position.  However if they were the be all end all of Magical Law Enforcement, there would be no need for Hitwizards, would there be?" he posed to her, before continuing to speak.  "Before becoming a Hitwizard I was an Obliviator; I became a Hitwizard because Obliviatiing people into forgetting what they saw was not challenging enough for me.  What I've gathered from these few minutes is that you like a challenge.  No, not like, you revel in a challenge.  You live and breathe for the challenge.  It is what keeps you going even if it all seems bleak and unlikely to succeed."  He shuffled the papers in front of him, stacking them neatly in a pile as he waited for her to speak.


Claire Evangeline Slater

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Claire just frowned even more. Obviously they weren't going to agree on this particular issue. And neither were willing to be swayed. So why were they continuing it? Stephen seemed to have the same thought process and ended it with a wave of his hand.

"Are you trying to recruit me?" she asked meticulously. All of Stephen's points, even about her, were valid. Claire was good at her job. Terrifyingly good. But sometimes she wanted bigger challenges. Even though she felt little to no remorse for killing Desirae Rousseau that'd still been the most engaged she'd felt in quite some time. He was very, very right.

@stephen

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Are you trying to recruit me? The girl was blunt, direct and to the point, something Stephen himself prided him on being.  Hitwizards shouldn't be having emotional connections to their cases, but he knew sometimes people broke that law anyway.  Weak-minded fools some of his coworkers were.  They knew who they were too; Stephen wasn't exactly known for being delicate around what he thought.  "I'm offering you an...opportunity," he told her.  He motioned wordlessly to the case file.  "As you're aware, I usually work alone, however recent circumstances have shown me the....advantages of having another set of eyes.  I'm offering you to come with me to take this man in.  You can see first hand exactly what Hitiwizards are licensed to do and whether or not you want to set your sights on a move."  He stopped, then stood up. 

"So.  Ms Slater.  Are you in?"


Claire Evangeline Slater


half of me wants to just end the thread on a cliffhanger but your choice XP

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An opportunity. That's what he called it. One of Claire's eyebrows rose as he explained. That he worked alone but had recently seen the benefits of changing that up. But also how she could see what he was approved to do. He sounded confident (when didn't he though?) that she would want to transfer to the department. As if it was only a matter of time.

Claire didn't move for several moments, silently and meticulously mulling over this offer. Such an offer was unheard of. Aurors and Hitwizards stuck to their own hemispheres. The only time they ever overlapped was in desperate need. But could she turn down such an opportunity? To, at least temporarily, work with a renowned Hitwizard.

The part of her that had singlehandedly driven her to teach her current position among the Aurors made the decision for her. Slowly she rose to her feet and offered a cordial smile.

@stephen
(Haha you wanted a cliffhanger! But let's be real, we all know she accepted XD also. End )