Application for Agent Fields: Quantum of Solace

[fields_4ever]

((There are spoilers here for what happens to Agent Fields, and her name, but both of those have been in reviews that I've seen, so they might not be that spoilerific. There are no spoilers for the plot of Quantum of Solace, except for that bit at the very end, where he wakes up and it turns out that the whole series was a dream Michael Scott had

Comments

[wh0_kill3d_m3]

"I'm not real crazy about the dark either. There's a lot of us around here like that," Laura said, and blew a stray lock of hair out of her face. "Y'know, we like really need to start the Dead Girls Club back up again?"

[fields_4ever]

"I didn't expect to be in the... well, the dark," she said a bit nervously. Fields hadn't quite come to grips with the situation. "And there's enough for a club?"

[wh0_kill3d_m3]

"I kinda did? But I didn't expect it to be so - so horrible," Laura said, dimming, then brightened back up. "Oh yeah! Well, there were when we had the club before, but some of 'em have left school since then. But then we're getting new ones like you in all the time, seems like. But it's a good idea, don't you think? I mean, I at least got to be a ghost for a while before I came here, but most seem to come straight here from, well, the dark, you know? Very confusing."

[fields_4ever]

Fields had a very polite, slightly puzzled smile plastered on her face, because yes, it was very confusing. "Is it like a welcome party?" she asked. "I'd like to know what's expected of me, now that I'm here."

She ran her hand through her bangs again. "And now that I'm here, I've forgotten all of my manners. I'm Fields. It's nice to meet you."

[wh0_kill3d_m3]

"Not exactly, no. More like a, a really weird job interview. Hi Fields, I'm Laura. Laura Palmer. This is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry we're in, you just filled out the application form, and now you have to be Sorted. That means you talk to some of us already in, we vote on which House we think fits you best, and, well, a final decision gets made. But you can't leave this room 'til it's all done."

Laura smiled. "Don't worry too much, though. The school's weird, but kinda nice. Much better than some of the alternatives for...students like us, you know?"

[fields_4ever]

"Oh, Hogwarts! She looked excited. "My aunt is a witch, you see. I've heard of this place before! Goodness gracious, this is much better than what I expected. I never guessed that... well, anyway, it hardly matters. This is wonderful!"

[wh0_kill3d_m3]

Laura giggled. "Congratulations! You're halfway ahead of like 99 percent of the people who come through here. Most of 'em have never even heard of real magic, much less Hogwarts. Makes for a steep learning curve. Does that mean you won't be too thrown if I tell you you don't get out of here until the Sorting Hat says so?"

[fields_4ever]

"I'll be disappointed." She made a fake frowny face. "But I'll live, I guess. In a manner of speaking."

She dropped her voice to a conversational whisper. "I'm not sure if this is a rude question," Fields asked, "but was your dark a natural kind of dark? Or was it..." she faltered and trailed off.

[wh0_kill3d_m3]

"No, not natural...I had help," she replied. "You?"

[fields_4ever]

"Help," she agreed. "It still hasn't... the feeling, it still hasn't worn off."

[wh0_kill3d_m3]

Laura smiled sadly. "I'd tell you it gets better, but it doesn't really. You just get better at handling it and going on with things. Except at night. Nights are hard. That's why I think we need the Dead Girls Club again, so we'll all know who we can owl and expect to still be up when the bad times come at 3 in the morning, you know?"

[fields_4ever]

"I think I will know."

This wasn't what was supposed to happen. She was bright and young, with a good future ahead of her. "I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do, now that it's over."

[wh0_kill3d_m3]

Laura shrugged. "Start again? I mean, everything's new now. And this is a whole 'nother world, here with the wizards. And, I don't know, maybe it's just me, but after I got another chance everything kind of looked different. Things that used to seem important just aren't very anymore."

[fields_4ever]

"I really liked my life." It was best not to dwell on those things, so she shook herself out of that dreary train of thought. "Well. This is what I have to work with, isn't it? So I'd better make do." The forced determination was back.

"As soon as the Sorting Hat lets me, that is."

[wh0_kill3d_m3]

"That's the spirit!" Laura cheered. "Did your aunt tell you about the Houses? Gryffindor for the brave, Ravenclaw for the smart, Slytherin for the clever and Hufflepuff for the loyal, useful, hardworking and None of the Above."

[fields_4ever]

"Oh, put me down for None of the Above," Strawberry said. "Is that where plain old ordinary people can go?"