Once I rose above the noise and confusion
Category: Pink Sheep RPG
Heels clicking down the Ministry's halls, Hannah gave a small smile to a passing employee as she turned down to the MLE. She was very fortunate, very fortunate indeed, that her two best friends both worked in such close proximity to one another. It certainly made life easier. Pausing at the receptionist's desk, she smiled. "Hallo, could you tell Auror Flinch-Fletchley that he has a visitor?"
The older woman didn't bother to look up. "Auror Flinch Fletchley hasn't come in yet."
"What?" Hannah's brows furrowed. "But it's nearly ten-thirty!" Justin never, ever, came into work late, at least not without a very good reason. He never skipped work, either, not even when he should, fool boy. "Are you sure?"
Alice Jansen looked up, sniffing. With her quill she pointed to the mailboxes. "Auror Flinch-Fletchley's mailbox is still full from the weekend. If you'd like to leave a message, he'll recieve it when he comes on."
"No." Hannah felt like stamping her foot, but she was in heels and it just didn't sound right in four inch stilettos. "Are we even talking about the same man? Justin Flinch-Fletchley? About yea high?" She gestured a few inches above her head. "Terminally polite or grumpy, depending on the mood you've caught him in?"
Natalie heard the raised voices, but continued to sit at her desk, perusing her case files. When she heard her partner's name dropped, however, her interest was piqued. That tosser hadn't shown up, even though she'd told him he had better be back at work this morning.
She poked her head out of her office and glanced down towards the receptionist's desk. Sure enough, Alice and some blonde chit were having a rather loud discussion about her partner's whereabouts.
With a sigh, she headed down the hall to the two women. Please please please shut up, Finchy locked his office and I can't get to his hangover potions.
"The tosser didn't show up for work this morning," she said by way of greeting. "Who're you?"
Slightly taken aback by the pink haired woman who was looking rather pinched, Hannah forced a smile. "Hannah Abbott. I'm looking for Auror Flinch-Fletchley. This one," the blonde jerked her thumb towards the receptionist, "says he's not here. Which is impossible. This is Justin we're talking about. He always shows up to work."
"He didn't today," Natalie growled. "I told him to be back here on Monday morning, and he's not, and I've half a mind to hunt him down to beat the living shite out of him."
"So much for surprises." Hannah narrowed her eyes. "I'd rather you not beat him, but I could probably retrieve him for you."
"Where is he?" the pink haired woman asked, hands on her hips.
"Probably his flat. I'm keyed into the wards," Hannah added helpfully. "Possibly Blackthorn Manor, but I doubt it, he doesn't like it there much. Or Edinburgh," she mused. "His parents still have a house there. And you're Natalie, yes? His partner?" She gave the other woman a small smile. Justin had complained about the woman's pink hair before.
"Yeah," she said, mentally raising a brow at the woman. She was way too chipper for Monday morning. Must be a Hufflepuff thing.
"Would you like to come with me?" The blonde offered. She really wasn't dressed for kicking down metaphorical doors, but it would have to do. What had she missed in her time abroad? Why was Justin missing work even though his partner had requested that he be there?
Natalie smirked. "Hell to the yeah," she said. "Where should we start?"
"Badger Loft first. Then Blackthorn House before the Manor. Start close and then go to Edinburgh? Do you think we should get Ernie?" Hannah worried her lip. It wasn't that she felt that as two women, they would be unable to rouse Justin from his hibernation, but she had missed her friends. And Ernie was always very good at pushing Justin's buttons when he needed to.
She shrugged. "If you want," she replied. "If you can get his head out of the clouds."
"Clouds?" Hannah's brows furrowed for the second time that day. Was Ernie acting oddly as well? No, she did not have the time to deal with a second friend's crisis at the moment. "No, I'll deal with Ernie later."
Natalie snickered. "Good luck. Let's go."
"Is there and Apparition point down here or do we need to go back to the Atrium?" Hannah asked, withdrawing her wand. Before, if either of her Ministry employee friends wanted to meet up with her, it was usually in Diagon Alley.
"We can go from here," Natalie replied, holding out her hand after a moment's reservation. She didn't like side-along Apparition, but she highly doubted Justin had her keyed into the wards of his flat.
"In three." Hannah took the other woman's hand. "One. Two. Three." The pair Apparated out. With a 'pop', the two women appeared at the foot of the stairs that led to the loft. "Kandy?" the blonde called out.
"Who are you?" Victoria, wrapping her silk robe about her ever growing belly, stuck her head out of her borrowed, and tiny, room. Lord knew the flat was cramped with just the two elder Finch-Fletchley siblings, who knew what would happen when William came home from school. Perhaps she should see if she could stay at Blackthorne House or, in a pinch, the Ritz.
When she caught sight of the slightly shorter blonde, she relaxed slightly. It was one of Justin's school friends, or so he claimed. She'd been on his arm more times than Victoria could count. There was no doubt they were probably sleeping together. "Oh, it's you."
Hannah's eyes widened slightly as she caught sight of Justin's sister's growing belly. Oh. She stamped down the urge to immediately want to go back to the shoppe and start on a baby blanket. "Hallo, Victoria," she smiled. "Is Justin about?"
"Where is he?" Natalie said, a bit more abrupt than the blonde woman's polite request. So you're the idiot who got herself knocked up. Nice work there, genius.
"Not here," Victoria snapped back. "He took the little beast with him, too. How did you get in? Justin told me nobody else had a key."
"We Apparated in," Hannah moved forward. "Justin keyed Ernie and I into the wards when he first moved in. He probably just forgot," she soothed. Justin would hate to find out that she had upset his pregnant sister. "Is there anything I can get you? I promise we'll be out of your hair soon."
"No. I was just about to take a shower. I have a pre-natal appointment at noon." Victoria wrapped her arms about herself. "I'm sorry I couldn't be much help, but I don't know where he went. He came back Friday afternoon and collected a few things before leaving." To be perfectly honest, she had been enjoying having the flat to herself. How Justin thought the three Finch-Fletchley siblings would be able to survive the summer together here was beyond her.
"It's alright." Hannah told her. "We'll just go see your Uncle now." She turned her attention to the auror. "Ready? Do you know where Blackthorn House is?"
"Kensington Palace Gardens," Natalie said. She took Hannah's hand, but turned her head back to look at Victoria. "Just for the future, contraceptives are marvelous things." She couldn't help the little smirk that show through as she turned her attention back to Hannah.
Holding back the giggles that were threatening to escape, she grabbed the pink-haired woman's hand and Apparting them to Kensington. Unlike Badger Loft, where they were able to appear directly inside the wards, at Blackthorn House guests were directed to a little gazebo in the front of the house. "Have you met the Earl?" Hannah asked as they stepped to the front door. "If not, please be aware he can be a bit...offensive without meaning to be."
"I've heard." Natalie had never met Justin's great-uncle, whom she'd given the named 'Ducky' to, but she'd heard about his eccentric ways. "I've never had the pleasure, though." Not that she'd wanted to.
"Right." Hannah raised her hand and rung the doorbell, suddenly very glad she had an early meeting with a distributor that morning that had given her reason to dress up. Smiling broadly as a young man in glasses and a jumper answered the door, she said, "Elijah."
"Miss Abbott," the personal assistant nodded his head. "What can I do for you?"
Glad that he remembered her, she tucked a lock of loose hair behind an ear. "Is Justin here?"
"And if he's not here, where is he?" Natalie asked, trying to be polite but most likely failing miserably.
"Uh," taken aback slightly at the very forward woman who had yet to be introduced, Elijah shrugged. "I'm sorry. I haven't seen the Viscount."
"Thank you, Elijah." Hannah smile widened. "If in the off chance he does show his face, could you let him know I was by and that I need to see him?" She glanced at Natalie. "And if you could not mention Auror McDonald, that would be fantastic." Justin would be much more inclined to seek her out if he thought it was only her.
"Thanks," the pink-haired woman said to the nerdy looking Elijah before turning back to Hannah. "Where now? The Manor?"
Hannah shook his head. "No. Justin doesn't like the Manor." She glanced at the woman, wondering if she explain why, exactly. She was his partner. "He spent his seventh year there."
"Oh." Justin didn't like to talk about it, and frankly she'd never pushed him on the subject, but she knew he hadn't gone back to Hogwarts for his seventh year much like she'd skipped her sixth year. "Edinburgh, then?"
"Edinburgh," Hannah nodded, Apparating up to the Scottish capital to the building Justin's parents owned. She glanced at the Auror. "If I break in, would you report me?" she asked.
"If you can't get it, I'll break the damn door down myself," Natalie replied. "Do it."
Murmuring a few spells her older brother had taught her, Hannah used the passwords she knew Justin used commonly for the most basic of wards. He didn't have very strong ones up here, since so few people knew of it's existence. "Justin?" she called up the stairs, starting up them "Is everything okay?"
Putting his pen down, Justin turned off the wireless and stood. "Hannah?" He called, making his way over to the landing. He glanced down over the railing. "What are you doing here?"
"Justin!" She took the steps two at a time, wrapping her arms about his middle. "What the hell are you doing up here?" She poked him in the chest. "I went looking everywhere for you."
"Oh, well," Justin ran a hand through his hair. "I needed some time off. Needed the quiet."
"Yet you're up and dressed and freshly shaven." She poked him harder. "I saw Victoria, she seems as chipper as ever. How long have you known? When's she due? Do you know if it's a boy or a girl? Would she mind terribly if I knit a blanket?" There, she would lull her friend into a false sense of security until Natalie could make her entrance. Served him right for making her worry.
"Uh..." Justin trailed off, trying to keep up with the series of questions. "Do you want to take a seat?" He lead her over to one of the overstuffed chairs. "Did you need anything to eat?"
"No, no." She crossed her legs, giving a him a small smile. "I'm alright." Not that you'll be in a few moments.
"However, I am not," Natalie said from the doorway, leaning oh-so-casually against the wood. "You see, my tosser of a partner was supposed to come back to work today, but it seems he conveniently forgot that little detail. Care to give me a reason or five why I shouldn't kick his arse from here to Tokyo?"
"Because I wasn't ready to come back yet," he snapped. The weekend had been productive. Not only had he gotten all of his case files up to date, but he had been able to get any personal affairs in order that had been severely lacking. There was also the matter of hiring Will's tutors. That had been done as well.
"And when, your Lordship, do you think that might be?" she shot back with a glare, pushing off the doorframe and coming further into the room. "A week? A month? After your sister has the damned kid?"
Hannah sucked in her breath, suddenly unsure if she should be witnessing the fight between the partners. Slipping off her heels, she padded into the kitchen, perfectly at home at wherever residence Justin decided to call his.
The lone male in the house barely turned his head as his friend left the room, choosing instead to focus on his currently pink-haired partner. "Did you ever stop to think that by sitting down and isolating myself for a few days I would be able to put everything in order? That I would be that much better once I did come back?"
"You've had a few days," she said. "Friday, Saturday, Sunday. That's three, which constitutes a few." Damnit, she wanted her partner back, as annoying and stuffy and aristocratically snobbish as he was, he was still hers. The only constant in her topsy-turvy fucked up life.
"And I underestimated the amount of time I need. Apparently, barristers do not like last minute appointments and the earliest I could book was today." He glanced at his watch. "Which I need to be at in ten minutes. Hannah," he called into the kitchen, "if you could reset the wards before you leave, that'd be fantastic. And Kandy?" he called his elf.
"Yes, Master Finchy?" The house elf popped into the living room, coming to stand next to her master.
"I'd like a steak and kidney pie for dinner tonight. I will be eating at the Loft."
"Yes, Master Finchy." Kandy bowed low before popping out of sight, presumably to the kitchen in Badger Loft.
Seeing that the little details were taken care of, Justin summoned his papers to him, putting them in the order he required before sliding them into his attaché case. "And with that, I really must be going." Though he knew it was quite rude to leave his guests, even those who had the audacity to come in unannounced, Justin drew his wand and Apparated out.
Natalie was fuming. The sheer nerve of that bastard had her itching to rip out his throat the next time he saw him. Her hands were trembling with a fine rage as she growled frustratedly, staring at the spot where her partner had just disappeared from.
Hannah poked her head out of the kitchen. It was too quiet. Did Natalie kill Justin? She would have heard the spell. Or at least the thud of the body. "Is it safe to come out?" she asked. "Am I going to need to find a shovel?"
"When I find him, there won't be enough of him left to bury," the other woman promised her, her voice low and dangerous.
"He left?" Hannah raised an eyebrow as she padded into the room, shaking her head slightly. One of these days her friend would have to face his anger rather than withdraw from it. Otherwise, it would only end badly. "I really do wish you wouldn't kill him. Maim all you want, but don't kill him. Justin has his uses. I promise."
She cut a look at the blonde woman, her lips pursed, but didn't say anything. She wanted to murder Justin. He bloody knew how much that aristocratic snobbish attitude irked her, yet he did it anyway. Fuck him.
The blonde smiled in a hopefully sunny manner, trying to brighten up the otherwise gloomy day. "Well, I'm sorry we didn't achieve what we wanted, but it was lovely to meet you. Perhaps we'll see each other again, under better circumstances?" She held out a hand.
Natalie nodded and took her hand, shaking it quickly. "If you see the tosser, tell him he's to expect much pain next time he deigns to show his face at work." She pulled back and gave Hannah a smirk as she pulled out her wand and Apparated away.
Once the woman was gone, Hannah let out a large laugh. Oh, Justin would be in trouble with a capital 'T'. But that was alright, he needed someone to keep him on his toes and Hannah couldn't be around all the time.
Summary: When Hannah comes looking for Justin at the Ministry, it's a Natalie she finds. Eventually they track the wayward Auror to Scotland.
Heels clicking down the Ministry's halls, Hannah gave a small smile to a passing employee as she turned down to the MLE. She was very fortunate, very fortunate indeed, that her two best friends both worked in such close proximity to one another. It certainly made life easier. Pausing at the receptionist's desk, she smiled. "Hallo, could you tell Auror Flinch-Fletchley that he has a visitor?"
The older woman didn't bother to look up. "Auror Flinch Fletchley hasn't come in yet."
"What?" Hannah's brows furrowed. "But it's nearly ten-thirty!" Justin never, ever, came into work late, at least not without a very good reason. He never skipped work, either, not even when he should, fool boy. "Are you sure?"
Alice Jansen looked up, sniffing. With her quill she pointed to the mailboxes. "Auror Flinch-Fletchley's mailbox is still full from the weekend. If you'd like to leave a message, he'll recieve it when he comes on."
"No." Hannah felt like stamping her foot, but she was in heels and it just didn't sound right in four inch stilettos. "Are we even talking about the same man? Justin Flinch-Fletchley? About yea high?" She gestured a few inches above her head. "Terminally polite or grumpy, depending on the mood you've caught him in?"
Natalie heard the raised voices, but continued to sit at her desk, perusing her case files. When she heard her partner's name dropped, however, her interest was piqued. That tosser hadn't shown up, even though she'd told him he had better be back at work this morning.
She poked her head out of her office and glanced down towards the receptionist's desk. Sure enough, Alice and some blonde chit were having a rather loud discussion about her partner's whereabouts.
With a sigh, she headed down the hall to the two women. Please please please shut up, Finchy locked his office and I can't get to his hangover potions.
"The tosser didn't show up for work this morning," she said by way of greeting. "Who're you?"
Slightly taken aback by the pink haired woman who was looking rather pinched, Hannah forced a smile. "Hannah Abbott. I'm looking for Auror Flinch-Fletchley. This one," the blonde jerked her thumb towards the receptionist, "says he's not here. Which is impossible. This is Justin we're talking about. He always shows up to work."
"He didn't today," Natalie growled. "I told him to be back here on Monday morning, and he's not, and I've half a mind to hunt him down to beat the living shite out of him."
"So much for surprises." Hannah narrowed her eyes. "I'd rather you not beat him, but I could probably retrieve him for you."
"Where is he?" the pink haired woman asked, hands on her hips.
"Probably his flat. I'm keyed into the wards," Hannah added helpfully. "Possibly Blackthorn Manor, but I doubt it, he doesn't like it there much. Or Edinburgh," she mused. "His parents still have a house there. And you're Natalie, yes? His partner?" She gave the other woman a small smile. Justin had complained about the woman's pink hair before.
"Yeah," she said, mentally raising a brow at the woman. She was way too chipper for Monday morning. Must be a Hufflepuff thing.
"Would you like to come with me?" The blonde offered. She really wasn't dressed for kicking down metaphorical doors, but it would have to do. What had she missed in her time abroad? Why was Justin missing work even though his partner had requested that he be there?
Natalie smirked. "Hell to the yeah," she said. "Where should we start?"
"Badger Loft first. Then Blackthorn House before the Manor. Start close and then go to Edinburgh? Do you think we should get Ernie?" Hannah worried her lip. It wasn't that she felt that as two women, they would be unable to rouse Justin from his hibernation, but she had missed her friends. And Ernie was always very good at pushing Justin's buttons when he needed to.
She shrugged. "If you want," she replied. "If you can get his head out of the clouds."
"Clouds?" Hannah's brows furrowed for the second time that day. Was Ernie acting oddly as well? No, she did not have the time to deal with a second friend's crisis at the moment. "No, I'll deal with Ernie later."
Natalie snickered. "Good luck. Let's go."
"Is there and Apparition point down here or do we need to go back to the Atrium?" Hannah asked, withdrawing her wand. Before, if either of her Ministry employee friends wanted to meet up with her, it was usually in Diagon Alley.
"We can go from here," Natalie replied, holding out her hand after a moment's reservation. She didn't like side-along Apparition, but she highly doubted Justin had her keyed into the wards of his flat.
"In three." Hannah took the other woman's hand. "One. Two. Three." The pair Apparated out. With a 'pop', the two women appeared at the foot of the stairs that led to the loft. "Kandy?" the blonde called out.
"Who are you?" Victoria, wrapping her silk robe about her ever growing belly, stuck her head out of her borrowed, and tiny, room. Lord knew the flat was cramped with just the two elder Finch-Fletchley siblings, who knew what would happen when William came home from school. Perhaps she should see if she could stay at Blackthorne House or, in a pinch, the Ritz.
When she caught sight of the slightly shorter blonde, she relaxed slightly. It was one of Justin's school friends, or so he claimed. She'd been on his arm more times than Victoria could count. There was no doubt they were probably sleeping together. "Oh, it's you."
Hannah's eyes widened slightly as she caught sight of Justin's sister's growing belly. Oh. She stamped down the urge to immediately want to go back to the shoppe and start on a baby blanket. "Hallo, Victoria," she smiled. "Is Justin about?"
"Where is he?" Natalie said, a bit more abrupt than the blonde woman's polite request. So you're the idiot who got herself knocked up. Nice work there, genius.
"Not here," Victoria snapped back. "He took the little beast with him, too. How did you get in? Justin told me nobody else had a key."
"We Apparated in," Hannah moved forward. "Justin keyed Ernie and I into the wards when he first moved in. He probably just forgot," she soothed. Justin would hate to find out that she had upset his pregnant sister. "Is there anything I can get you? I promise we'll be out of your hair soon."
"No. I was just about to take a shower. I have a pre-natal appointment at noon." Victoria wrapped her arms about herself. "I'm sorry I couldn't be much help, but I don't know where he went. He came back Friday afternoon and collected a few things before leaving." To be perfectly honest, she had been enjoying having the flat to herself. How Justin thought the three Finch-Fletchley siblings would be able to survive the summer together here was beyond her.
"It's alright." Hannah told her. "We'll just go see your Uncle now." She turned her attention to the auror. "Ready? Do you know where Blackthorn House is?"
"Kensington Palace Gardens," Natalie said. She took Hannah's hand, but turned her head back to look at Victoria. "Just for the future, contraceptives are marvelous things." She couldn't help the little smirk that show through as she turned her attention back to Hannah.
Holding back the giggles that were threatening to escape, she grabbed the pink-haired woman's hand and Apparting them to Kensington. Unlike Badger Loft, where they were able to appear directly inside the wards, at Blackthorn House guests were directed to a little gazebo in the front of the house. "Have you met the Earl?" Hannah asked as they stepped to the front door. "If not, please be aware he can be a bit...offensive without meaning to be."
"I've heard." Natalie had never met Justin's great-uncle, whom she'd given the named 'Ducky' to, but she'd heard about his eccentric ways. "I've never had the pleasure, though." Not that she'd wanted to.
"Right." Hannah raised her hand and rung the doorbell, suddenly very glad she had an early meeting with a distributor that morning that had given her reason to dress up. Smiling broadly as a young man in glasses and a jumper answered the door, she said, "Elijah."
"Miss Abbott," the personal assistant nodded his head. "What can I do for you?"
Glad that he remembered her, she tucked a lock of loose hair behind an ear. "Is Justin here?"
"And if he's not here, where is he?" Natalie asked, trying to be polite but most likely failing miserably.
"Uh," taken aback slightly at the very forward woman who had yet to be introduced, Elijah shrugged. "I'm sorry. I haven't seen the Viscount."
"Thank you, Elijah." Hannah smile widened. "If in the off chance he does show his face, could you let him know I was by and that I need to see him?" She glanced at Natalie. "And if you could not mention Auror McDonald, that would be fantastic." Justin would be much more inclined to seek her out if he thought it was only her.
"Thanks," the pink-haired woman said to the nerdy looking Elijah before turning back to Hannah. "Where now? The Manor?"
Hannah shook his head. "No. Justin doesn't like the Manor." She glanced at the woman, wondering if she explain why, exactly. She was his partner. "He spent his seventh year there."
"Oh." Justin didn't like to talk about it, and frankly she'd never pushed him on the subject, but she knew he hadn't gone back to Hogwarts for his seventh year much like she'd skipped her sixth year. "Edinburgh, then?"
"Edinburgh," Hannah nodded, Apparating up to the Scottish capital to the building Justin's parents owned. She glanced at the Auror. "If I break in, would you report me?" she asked.
"If you can't get it, I'll break the damn door down myself," Natalie replied. "Do it."
Murmuring a few spells her older brother had taught her, Hannah used the passwords she knew Justin used commonly for the most basic of wards. He didn't have very strong ones up here, since so few people knew of it's existence. "Justin?" she called up the stairs, starting up them "Is everything okay?"
Putting his pen down, Justin turned off the wireless and stood. "Hannah?" He called, making his way over to the landing. He glanced down over the railing. "What are you doing here?"
"Justin!" She took the steps two at a time, wrapping her arms about his middle. "What the hell are you doing up here?" She poked him in the chest. "I went looking everywhere for you."
"Oh, well," Justin ran a hand through his hair. "I needed some time off. Needed the quiet."
"Yet you're up and dressed and freshly shaven." She poked him harder. "I saw Victoria, she seems as chipper as ever. How long have you known? When's she due? Do you know if it's a boy or a girl? Would she mind terribly if I knit a blanket?" There, she would lull her friend into a false sense of security until Natalie could make her entrance. Served him right for making her worry.
"Uh..." Justin trailed off, trying to keep up with the series of questions. "Do you want to take a seat?" He lead her over to one of the overstuffed chairs. "Did you need anything to eat?"
"No, no." She crossed her legs, giving a him a small smile. "I'm alright." Not that you'll be in a few moments.
"However, I am not," Natalie said from the doorway, leaning oh-so-casually against the wood. "You see, my tosser of a partner was supposed to come back to work today, but it seems he conveniently forgot that little detail. Care to give me a reason or five why I shouldn't kick his arse from here to Tokyo?"
"Because I wasn't ready to come back yet," he snapped. The weekend had been productive. Not only had he gotten all of his case files up to date, but he had been able to get any personal affairs in order that had been severely lacking. There was also the matter of hiring Will's tutors. That had been done as well.
"And when, your Lordship, do you think that might be?" she shot back with a glare, pushing off the doorframe and coming further into the room. "A week? A month? After your sister has the damned kid?"
Hannah sucked in her breath, suddenly unsure if she should be witnessing the fight between the partners. Slipping off her heels, she padded into the kitchen, perfectly at home at wherever residence Justin decided to call his.
The lone male in the house barely turned his head as his friend left the room, choosing instead to focus on his currently pink-haired partner. "Did you ever stop to think that by sitting down and isolating myself for a few days I would be able to put everything in order? That I would be that much better once I did come back?"
"You've had a few days," she said. "Friday, Saturday, Sunday. That's three, which constitutes a few." Damnit, she wanted her partner back, as annoying and stuffy and aristocratically snobbish as he was, he was still hers. The only constant in her topsy-turvy fucked up life.
"And I underestimated the amount of time I need. Apparently, barristers do not like last minute appointments and the earliest I could book was today." He glanced at his watch. "Which I need to be at in ten minutes. Hannah," he called into the kitchen, "if you could reset the wards before you leave, that'd be fantastic. And Kandy?" he called his elf.
"Yes, Master Finchy?" The house elf popped into the living room, coming to stand next to her master.
"I'd like a steak and kidney pie for dinner tonight. I will be eating at the Loft."
"Yes, Master Finchy." Kandy bowed low before popping out of sight, presumably to the kitchen in Badger Loft.
Seeing that the little details were taken care of, Justin summoned his papers to him, putting them in the order he required before sliding them into his attaché case. "And with that, I really must be going." Though he knew it was quite rude to leave his guests, even those who had the audacity to come in unannounced, Justin drew his wand and Apparated out.
Natalie was fuming. The sheer nerve of that bastard had her itching to rip out his throat the next time he saw him. Her hands were trembling with a fine rage as she growled frustratedly, staring at the spot where her partner had just disappeared from.
Hannah poked her head out of the kitchen. It was too quiet. Did Natalie kill Justin? She would have heard the spell. Or at least the thud of the body. "Is it safe to come out?" she asked. "Am I going to need to find a shovel?"
"When I find him, there won't be enough of him left to bury," the other woman promised her, her voice low and dangerous.
"He left?" Hannah raised an eyebrow as she padded into the room, shaking her head slightly. One of these days her friend would have to face his anger rather than withdraw from it. Otherwise, it would only end badly. "I really do wish you wouldn't kill him. Maim all you want, but don't kill him. Justin has his uses. I promise."
She cut a look at the blonde woman, her lips pursed, but didn't say anything. She wanted to murder Justin. He bloody knew how much that aristocratic snobbish attitude irked her, yet he did it anyway. Fuck him.
The blonde smiled in a hopefully sunny manner, trying to brighten up the otherwise gloomy day. "Well, I'm sorry we didn't achieve what we wanted, but it was lovely to meet you. Perhaps we'll see each other again, under better circumstances?" She held out a hand.
Natalie nodded and took her hand, shaking it quickly. "If you see the tosser, tell him he's to expect much pain next time he deigns to show his face at work." She pulled back and gave Hannah a smirk as she pulled out her wand and Apparated away.
Once the woman was gone, Hannah let out a large laugh. Oh, Justin would be in trouble with a capital 'T'. But that was alright, he needed someone to keep him on his toes and Hannah couldn't be around all the time.
Summary: When Hannah comes looking for Justin at the Ministry, it's a Natalie she finds. Eventually they track the wayward Auror to Scotland.