Absit Omen RPG

"Swear down it's not like that!" Hester shook her head. Over and over. "He did not come for me. No. It was all work. Policy. Career. Not dutty!" Put her hand to her forehead. "If I want to move up. I need his words. I can unlock doors Nadine. But Glass can have them opened for me." Hester was career oriented. Assertive. She did not need her boss to open doors. But if he was pleased to...

Hester chewed on a grilled tomato. Thought about the question. Shook her head. "I think it was this. I guess they wanted to stay on until they could get out. I am not even sure what happens if you go out the window of a train. Should there not be charms to keep you in? Is it like falling off a broom?" Hester cringed. "Is there mangled vampire bat somewhere?"

Hester bit her lip. Clasped her hands. Smiled. Pressed her lips tight together. Crossed her legs. Looked up at the ceiling. Cringed.

"Not exactly..." She peeked at Nadine. "It is rude to reject an invitation for private drinks with your boss. He has good taste in wine." She rearranged her hair. Self conscious. Sighed. "No gas. I might have... might have stayed the night." Braced for impact.

"For a second." Said Hester. "Long hair right down her back. Dark. Tattoos on her hands. Bit of a nose. Taller than me. Dressed all in dark clothes. Leather. Looked like she shopped somewhere the Capture Unit like." The WCU had a unique taste in fashion. Severe. Chains and leather. Hester saw Muggle kids in London dress like it. Other muggles called them goths. "I did not hear her speak. She escaped out the window as a bat. Some witch forced it out with garlic. That's how she was found someone said. In someone's compartment and they tried to banish it."

"Uhuh." Hester nodded. "You going to think me crazy. But you know I have ambitions." Hester clasped her hands together. Saying it out loud needed courage! Even to Nadine.

"We got talking and we got on the same page. He gets me... ish." Hester waved her hands. How much could your big boss ever 'get' you really. "So we been linking up more late. Still."

"Seen! You can trust me." Said Hester. No hesitation. "No unbreakable vow needed you get me." She crossed her heart with a finger and pointed up with both forefingers. She kept hundreds of secrets.

"But speakin of secrets..." Hester leaned in. A secret for a secret. "Can you keep one for me?" Of course Nadine would. She trusted Nadine more than anyone in the world right now. They had to stick together.

"So I been meeting with the Minister about my career. Hoping Gabrielle would make dem babies with Francis Pepper." Hester's Department Head had come back from maternity leave. When gone Hester had taken over. She wanted the job. No hiding. Dropped heavy hints to have more babies. To stay at home longer. Even though she liked Gabrielle.

"Sure Leaky does breakfast this hour. I aint talkin bout vampires round muggles girl." Said Hester laughing. She put her bag on her shoulder. Clapped arms with Nadine. They disappeared in a blink. Above them... unseen on the carriage roof... a bat flapped unsteadily.

Their plates were stuffed full. Hester would need to run ten miles chased by a vampire to stop getting fat.  But it was what Merlin ordered. She had been gone all week. A Cauldron greasy fry up was tonic. Hester alternated between eating and recounting.

"So I slide open the door. Big mistake. They fall clean through it. Almost took me out. I were shook." Hester puffed out her cheeks. "But vampires are strong girl! I never seen one fight. Threw the guy off her like he was a blanket. Out of my compartment. She was right next to me. Closer than you are now. Psycho eyes. Hissing. Teeth and everything." Waved her hand front of her mouth.

Hester's mouth was open. The mad couple sounded over powered. Like full on Voldemort style. "Jheeeeeze!" Exclaimed Hester. She put up a finger. "They best not have horcruxes." That sort of magic did not belong in the world.

"Some use staffs." Agreed Hester. "Some use nothing. But I think it is very hard. Easier to channel into an object." So much of the world used wands. Easier to hide than a staff. Unless you wanted a walking stick. "Do you think aurors could use that magic?"

"Wha gwan girl?" Greeted Hester. She lit up. Hugged her friend. Grateful. Lovely surprise. They parted. "That's a long journey." Pointed over her shoulder. Happy to be off the train. She was fast asleep until all the cursing and hexing.
"Deep times?" Asked Hester. Why would Nadine be on the platform in her striking uniform if not some trouble. Looked about them. Nadine was alone. Everyone looked normal. But the guard's reaction had caught Hester's attention. A disagreement.
"You looking for a vampire?" Knew Nadine did not like them. Hester was wary of a blood sucker on a train too. Did not like being trapped with one! "People had serious beef with her. Woke me up, peak. You hear about it?"

"Old? How d'you mean old?" Said Hester. She sat forward. She did not battle with her wand daily. She battled with words and countries and languages and mountains of parchment. But she had seen magic all over the world. Magic different to wand magic. Magic in ritual. Magic in earth. Magic in stone. The Gamps were unspeakables. Mortimer was Head Unspeakable when it had happened. It was not secret that they used teenagers. That one of them died. One of Nadine's cousins. Moses. It could not be made worse. Hester was uncomfortable but o so curious.

"Gassed more like." Laughed Hester. "Witch Weekly paired us up, you dun know." She had told Nadine about it before. She had hit it off with 'Orion Gamp'. Unaware he was the insane Lyra Gamp in disguise. She could have killed Nad!

"What was with the umbrellas?" Hester was curious. But it did not need to be answered. She waved away her question. "Go on. He made a door again? Did you get in? What was inside?"

"You are not to blame! You have to believe that." Insisted Hester. Wagged her finger at Nadine. "From what I heard girl you are a hero. Lucky to come out of it alive. Word of some new magic. Or if not new some old old stuff maybe." She gestured about her head. "Rex must be glad to have you in the house under his feet. He and the girls nearly lost you." Hester sucked air through her teeth. Shook her head. "Why you an auror I do not know. But I cannot argue. You are good at it." She reclined. "So tell me. How did it go down. What did she say to you?"

The flower stems floated in air above the glass vase. Hester waved her cherry wand. Then happy she let them settle into the water.
"There. They shall make you smile." Brightly she smiled at her friend. Sat down at the other end of the sofa. Eyes on Nadine.

"Tell me everything. Call it a departmental debrief. Spare no detail." Solomon Carstairs better not have told her to be quiet. Her friend needed to speak about what happened. Hester needed to know.

"Are babies not organized chaos?" Uttered Hester. Folding her arms. Listening to the others.

"He's been fine without you." Said Hester. Perhaps too quickly. "You left him in good hands. I mean." She gestured. "He probably just doing it as a courtesy." She sounded ever so slightly sulky. Raised her eyebrows at Brinley Abbott.

Hester took her seat. Read the pages. Sipped her coffee. Grew comfortable of his arm. A minute of undivided attention. A private audience.
"May I be bold to suggest you let them." Spoke Hester at last. "Let them pick a fight. When they are distracted. We will be safe trading partner. Their neighbors will not want to choose a side." She smirked. "Stoke the fire. Make it interesting."