Because Every Phoenix Needs a Flame

Chapter 3: The Auror Office

When Alice went back to the Auror Office a couple of days later, Moody had put her on desk duty, and that was inadmissible. Even though Alastor Moody was not the Head Auror, everyone knew he was the person in charge. She knocked on his office door, with a freshly made cup of tea in her hand.

"Auror Longbottom, what can I do for you?" He asked. "And with a cup of steaming tea... So nice of you. What do you want from me?"

"Moody." She said, sitting on the empty chair by his desk. "I cannot be on desk duty."

"And yet, I think you were assigned desk duty." He said, tapping his quill on the table before sipping on his tea. A half-smile appearing on his face before it disappeared. Alice had brewed it to perfection.

"I'm well, Moody. And Declan had it much worse than me and he's back on the field." She said.

"Well, Declan's wife is not a pain on my ass, Alice. Get your grip back in your husband, and you are free to join the other Aurors on the field." He explained.

"That little Gryffindor who thinks he knows best... I will-"

"Ah, ah. No threats in my office. Otherwise, I need to file a report." He sighed, rather dramatically.

"I will be back, sir. Now if you will excuse me." She got up, picking one of the peppermints sweets that Moody had on his desk.

"Alice, the report for assaulting an Auror within the walls of the Auror Office, is even bigger. And don't use your wand." He said, dismissing her with a hand gesture.

She found her husband in the break room, a cup of tea in his hand and a little tart on the other. "Lissie, come have something to eat. Romero is trying to catch the eye of a little baker in Diagon Alley, and he keeps going to see her and spending the family vault there. Not that I'm complaining."

"I don't want a pastry, Longbottom." And the use of their last name should be enough information for him to realise that something was wrong. It had been years since the last time that she called him something besides Frank or little pet names. "You told Moody that I should stay put in the office. I'm an Auror, I'm not a secretary! I did my training like all of you! I deserve the respect-"

"I know, Lissie. You're an amazing Auror... I just think that once-"

"Once what? Once I've recovered? Once I'm healed..." She stressed each word with a stab of her finger on his chest. "How many times have you ended up in St Mungos since we left Hogwarts? And not once I said you should stay home resting, or be tied to a desk."

"Lissie, please-"

"No, Frank, listen to me. When you married me, you knew very well that I would not be the kind of woman that would just stay home and make you dinner, and put little love notes on your lunch. This is who I am, this is the woman you love and married. So accept her exactly as she is." She said, looking into his green eyes. "Accept me!"

Frank wrapped his arms around her, tightly, and he would not let go, he just held her to his chest, tucking her under his chin. "I'm sorry."

"I know... I just... Don't you believe your own words any longer? When we found out that my Patronus was a phoenix, you said you should have expected it. Because nothing can keep me down." She whispered, stroking his cheek.

"My phoenix..." He said, kissing the top of her head. It had taken weeks for her to become proficient on the charm after her parents' death. And then when the mist consolidated, a beautiful phoenix rose from the top of her wand.

"Once I'm transformed, Once I'm reborn. Do you remember saying those words to me?" Alice asked, her hazel eyes finding his green ones. He nodded. "So don't worry, Frankie, you know I will rise like a phoenix. Always."