Someone will die... Of fun! (Claire)

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Callisto had just written to Brandon and was feeling very... Brave? Confident? Confused? Yeah, probably all three. There was someone she had had more than just friend like feelings for for a while, but she had never said anything out of respect. Respect to the fact that said person was engaged, and then their fiance was killed at the Kings Cross attack. Claire was also her best friend in the entire world, so she didn't really think that adding that level to there relationship was important right away. And honestly, she would really be fine if they never added a romantic level to their relationship. But, she figured Claire ought to know how she was feeling. Best friends told each other everything, right?

Well, her whole relationship with Brandon have given her the confidence to be more honest with herself about those types of feelings. It also led her to more easily recognize them. Now she fully recognized that she had a strong and wide range of feelings for Claire Slater. Thanks to Brandon, she now had the tools to act on that. Maybe.

She wasn't going to propose marriage or anything, but she was all about being up front and honest, and Claire would still be her best friend no matter what. So, she invited her out to lunch at one of the lesser known pubs of horizon alley. She stood outside now, holding her bag over her shoulder, waiting for the auror to show up.

Claire Evangeline Slater

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Claire had gotten caught up at work. Again. To no surprise though. She was a bit of a work-a-holic, after all. Today though was because of the mountain of paperwork. It was her own fault really though, they all had to do with transferring departments. She'd only just started the transfer request and they seemed determined to make her jump through a dozen hoops to do it that included completing this long and extensive stack of paperwork. But once it was done... her transfer would be complete. It was an odd feeling. Leaving the Aurors and transferring to Hitwizards. But it was a better fit for her. Less confining. Less restrictive. And far less politics.

So, when she glanced at the time she cringed, capped her ink and dropped her quill on top of the unfinished pages. She'd have to finish later. But for now she'd be late for lunch with Callisto if she didn't leave now. It definitely didn't help that you could Apparate inside the ministry so she had to hurry to one of the exits so she could magically leave.

She appeared a block away, so she could take a moment to straight her clothes and magic away the ink stains on her hands. She definitely wouldn't miss those after her transfer was complete, and then quickly heading down the street to meet her dear friend, Callisto. They didn't often meet for lunch, so it was a rare but pleasant escape from work, for both of them. They'd taken opposite sides of the same coin when it came to work. Claire an auror (and soon to be hit witch) and Callisto a healer. Despite the difference it seemed to describe their friendship. A little different, but cut from the same cloth. They worked well together. On a profession and a personal level. So, when Claire spotted her best friend in front of the pub she smiled warmly and hurried to her. "Sorry I'm a little late, work." she explained casually, though she was only a few minutes tardy.

@callisto

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Claire was running late now, but Callisto didn't panic. She knew Claire was like her when it came to working. She was sure her friend had just lost track of the time. Eventually, though, she did see Claire up ahead and she grinned, giving her a little nod as she got closer. Claire spoke, and Callisto shook her head. "Apology not necessary," she said.

Of course Callisto was understanding of work being an excuse for showing up late. She was the queen of being late and missing things because of work. Her and Claire had that in common. Why wouldn't they be focused on their work? They had important jobs to do.

"You look nice," Callisto commented, her tone straight forward. She turned to lead the way into the pub, holding the door open for Claire as she did. "Busy today?" she asked, leading them to a table without hesitation. Callisto liked things done efficiently and painlessly, so she usually preferred to make the decisions. Claire was one of the few people she would let lead sometimes though.

Claire Evangeline Slater

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If there was one person that understand the work excuse, it as Callisto. The friends were quite similar, which explained their entire friendship, and they'd used it countless times on each other. If they were both on time it was a miracle. Unless it was work related. Then you could bet they'd be there on the dot. But their work hasn't overlapped to much before now... though that would be changing very soon. She nodded as her friend brushed off her apology and commented on her looking nice. "Thank you, so do you." to be fair... Claire always tried to look nice and put together. It was a part of her attempted perfection. As they went inside it was almost like Claire knew what table they'd be going to, because she moved to take the chair opposite her friend without hesitation.

Taking up the menu in hand she started to skim the drink options. Was it too early for alcohol? Just one wouldn't hurt... decisions decisions. "Not exactly. They've tied both of our hands in political red tape." she sighed. You'd think with her taking out Desirae Rousseau they'd let the Aurors do more. "I've put in for a transfer and they think a mountain of paperwork will convince me to stay." she said it all so casually, as if it were common knowledge. Setting down the menu she looked back at her friend. "How is everything at the hospital?"

@callisto

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When Claire complimented her in return Callisto smiled and nodded. She always tried to look put together, too, but at the same time her job was very taxing on her physically and sometimes she just really didn't have the time to get cleaned up. She did for this, of course. If she knew she had something planned other than going straight home then she took the time. She only DIDN'T take the time if something crazy was going on, or she was so tired she wanted to pass out.

Callisto skimmed the menu as well, but was more listening to Claire than anything. Callisto pursed her lips to the side and nodded. She remembered the political red tape from when she worked at the Ministry. It was even worse for Aurors. Claire said she had put in for a transfer and Callistos eyebrow raised high. Then Claire asked about Callistos work and Callisto chose to answer that first, "It's fine. Quite busy. Working very hard," she explained. "Had a bit of an accident happen down in Surrey last week? Nine people had to be brought in. It was messy," she explained, shaking her head. "Experimental magic is the bane of my existence," she chuckled. "But... what do you mean you put in for a transfer? To what department?" Callisto knew there weren't many options, and there really only was one if Claire wanted to avoid red tape... and seeing Claires named on a bed at the hospital made Callistos chest tighten, but she already knew she was right before Claire even answered her.

Claire Evangeline Slater

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Claire shook her head and chuckled softly at the mention of experimental charms. "Didn't the Daily prophet cover it? Something about the department going to far once again and several muggles having to have their memories obliviated." really though, nine injures was a record even for Experimental Charms.

Claire could almost feel her friends hesitation at the mention of her transfer. Understandably so, since the Hit Wizards were an extremely dangerous department. Each person actually had an assigned bed at St Mungos, injuries were so common. But it was expected. The Hit Wizards had the ability to do things and act in ways Aurors couldn't without explicit approval from the higher ups. While Aurors had to capture their target, hit Wizards had the ability to do whatever was necessary to stop their target, no questions asked. To land on the hit wizard list meant the Ministry no longer cared if the target lived or died. Regardless she didn't think her friends or parents would be happy with the change. For vastly different reasons. "I'm transferring to the Hit Wizard's department."

@callisto

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Callisto nodded as Claire mentioned the Daily Prophet. "Yes, that's the one," she confirmed. She shook her head. "I think they are overdoing it to try and deal with the situation," the murders, the attacks, Elaine Dupree on the rise. It seemed like everyone had lost their heads a little bit because of all of that. Callisto wouldn't be the least bit surprised if the Experimental Charms Department had started losing theirs too.

Then Claire confirmed her fears, and Callisto caught her breath, her lips tightening into a hard line. She didn't say anything at first, blinking hard at the vivid images of Claire being brought in even more than she was now, constantly, because of some injury or another. Hit Wizards chased very, very bad people. People who could do bad things to Claire Slater.

"You'll be happier there," it was supposed to be a question but it just came out flat. She wasn't... furious, per say, but her protective nature had expanded more than she ever thought it could when those words came out of Claire's mouth.

Claire Evangeline Slater

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Claire smirked just a little st Callisto's confirmation and further explanation. It seemed many people were trying to overcompensate in their work because of Elaine Dupree. "Well they better figure things out. They aren't much use to anyone if they all end up in the hospital or worse." Claire wouldn't put it past the department to have accidental deaths. They'd had several in the past. That's what happened when you were trying to create new spells.

Callisto's entire demeanor changed at Claire's words. She knew the hit wizard program was dangerous, but the hospital knew that better than anyone. No wonder Callisto was a little... unnerved by ththe prospect of her friend becoming one. "I think so." She slowly answered. It was a better fit. She was so sick if political red tape. Yes, the Aurors were important but any deviation from the plan and you had to fill out a report. She felt stifled by the group. As a hit witch she would have the ability to act in anyway she felt necessary without the questions. But that also meant their injury and death rate were higher. "I'll be careful, Callisto." she added, hoping it might reassure her friend at least a little...

@callisto

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Callisto knew that was true, of course. No one was good use to anyone if they were in the hospital or dead. "And we don't need more work," she added to that. The healers and the aurors alike didn't need to be dealing with people being careless when there were real issues going on. Like Kings Cross... the healers needed to be able to focus on things like that and not on anything else. It was a shame that life had to go on being ridiculous and messy when there was a real war to be dealing with.

Claire said 'I think so' in term of being happier with the Hit Wizards, which Cal expected. Callisto just nodded, finding it hard to give words for a moment... but then Claire said she'd be careful and Cal shook her head, leaning forward a little. "But that's the opposite point, isn't it? You want to join the program so you don't have to be careful. So you can do what's necessary without the politics," she said, her voice firmly sure of that. "And I admire you for that," she admitted, "but that doesn't meant I'm not... scared about it," she admitted, her voice growing a little soft and her brow furrowing.

Claire Evangeline Slater

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Claired chuckled softly. St Mungos was the best Magical hospital in the UK... But it also happened to be the only. So there was always plenty of work. "You signed up for that." She pointed out immediately. Callisto's personality as a whole wasn't what you'd expect for a healer, but Claire knew her friend was damn blasted good at her job. Who cared it she wasn't always the friendliest of people around?

The blonde pursed her lips together as her friend leaned forward and picked apart her comment of 'being careful'. Of course Callisto saw it from the healer's standpoint, which was that there wasn't really a way to be careful. Claire was intentionally entering one of the most dangerous careers in the Wizarding world. Her friend was right. Claire wanted to act the way she felt was appropriate and not the way policy told her to. She wanted to think freely, and make her own decisions. But she also knew something else. Her friend's concern was sweet though and a small but soft smile responded to her friend's concern. "Someone has to do it, Cal. And I think we both know I'm emotionally capable of handling it." She didn't elaborate what 'emotionally capable' meant, but Callisto would know. Desirae Rousseau. Many Auror's went their whole careers without taking a single life. Claire had taken one only a few years into her career and she hadn't even hesitated for a split second. Absolutely no remorse. And since then she'd handled the whole situation with such a cold and calculating mentality that many wondered if she felt anything about killing someone. If anyone asked, and a few had, the answer was no. She hadn't. The moment she'd gotten her order and made the decision that killing her target was the only solution left to her she'd stopped thinking of Desirae Rousseau as a human being and instead as a target that needed to be eliminated. That sort of.... emotional coldness on the job was more then ideal for a hit witch or wizard. It was vital.

@callisto

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Claire chuckled, saying that Callisto signed up for it. Cal smiled a little, "well, I guess that's true. Better to have patients because that means people are actually coming out of things alive." In the world they lived in right now, it was more likely that people would be dead than in the hospital, so whenever they got patients it was a good thing. In terms of bad situations.

Claire smiled softly at Callistos concern, but Cal's lips faltered. Claire said someone had to do it, saying that she was emotionally capable. Callisto nodded a little, just for protocols sake. She knew Claire was right but... it was still a hard thing to process. There was a reason Callisto was a healer, though. She was obsessed with the science of it all, so it was easy for her to see the worst possible injuries just as a problem that needed to be solved. She could take the emotion out of the issue.

She sighed, "I know, I know. Just... don't go," she said. Not don't go be a hit wizard but don't go.

Claire Evangeline Slater

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Claire couldn't argue with that logic. Patients meant people survived. Sometimes despite their own idiotic lack of judgement, but they survived regardless. In major part due to Callisto and her co-worker's ability to patch up the chaotic mess. "And they have you to thank for that." The death tolls would be much higher if it weren't for healers. Healers who could heal injuries that would be a sure death for muggles or those being healed by non magical means.

Callisto was very concerned... Claire could see it clearly on her friend's face and body language. Her parents weren't happy with the idea either but their concern was more about 'throwing away her potential and future' and not her actual safety. Her parents didn't seem to realize just how dangerous the career was. Or somehow seemed to think that Hit Witch was a step down for her. Though Callisto's words, when she did speak, make Claire hesitate, her expression one of surprise. She didn't think Callisto meant don't switch careers by that statement. If she had to guess, Callisto must have meant the more permanent 'go'. One that even Callisto's healing abilities couldn't fix. Claire's expression turned somber as her lipped thinned into a line. "I won't, Callisto." She softly answered. She couldn't promise that she'd always be alright, because that came with the job. Couldn't promise she'd be safe, or unharmed. No doubt Claire's visits to the hospital would be more frequent and more severe then before, but she could promise that she'd come back in one piece. So Callisto could help patch her back up.

@callisto

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Callisto was glad that she could help combat the death count.She was also glad that Claire recognized her for that. But at the talk of death so came the talk of Claire dying, and Claire said she wouldn't go. Callisto took in a deep breath, "then, during the times when things are fine let's make them as fine as possible," she suggested, lifting her glass to Claire. They could spend the lunch date having fun and maybe they could have a lot more years of that to come.

Callisto wasn't optimistic.

Claire Evangeline Slater
(the end)