Whisper Courage

Roderick Kinsey smiled slowly, the corners of his lips turning upward in a maniacal sort of way. They had their man, now all they had to do was reel him in.

"Come now, Otis. Let's not make this more of a scene than it needs to be," Kinsey reasoned, his wand drawn and pointing straight at his prey. The man, Otis, looked around nervously before drawing his own wand. He was a dumpy looking wizard, with ragged robes and beady little eyes.

"Oh, I wouldn't do that, poppet," Kinsey chuckled. Otis shifted his position awkwardly. This wasn't the typical place that Kinsey would have liked to nick the perpetrator, but what could one do? At the sight of him, Otis had dashed off to what Kinsey supposed was a safe haven in his mind- the men's toilet. Little did Otis know that Kinsey had an ace up his sleeve, so to speak.

"Otis, you can come quietly or I can curse you into oblivion first. It's your choice," Kinsey smirked, his wand never leaving its position. Otis's eyes darted around wildly, as if he were looking for some sort of escape. Then, his worried expression faded into a smile and for the first time, he spoke.

"Let's see who blinks first," he smiled, his crooked teeth appearing from beneath his dried and cracked lips. He definitely looked the part of a fugitive. Kinsey just smiled back.

"If you must." Before Otis could act, Kinsey watched a certain head of blonde hair materialize from the shadows. Otis didn't know what had happened until it was over. Aurora slunk behind him silently like a cat and twisted one arm tight against his back, threatening to break it. She jabbed her wand into his neck and whispered close to his ear-

"Got ya." He struggled but Kinsey stepped up now, disarming Otis. He picked up the fallen wand and shoved it into his pocket.

"I don't know about you, Finch, but I'm tired of this standoff. I'd quite like to go home soon," Kinsey smirked. Aurora returned his smile.

"I am feeling rather hungry." She prodded her wand deeper into Otis's neck, as he whimpered.

"Come on, Otis, let's go," she said smoothly.

~

"Well, that was exciting," Kinsey laughed, signing his name on the dotted line. Aurora grinned, signing her name next. It was such a pain, having to fill out this paperwork- one downside of her exciting vocation.

"Let's go have a fire whiskey, celebrate," Kinsey suggested, raising his eyebrows. Aurora just shook her head.

"I'm having dinner with Remus. Besides, the Weasley's wedding is tomorrow. I still haven't decided what to do with my hair," she teased. Kinsey just shook his head.

"Right, Finch. Like you need to do anything to it at all," he laughed, and she swatted his shoulder.

"I'll see you later," she nodded, packing up her things to prepare to apparate home.

When Professor McGonagall had told her she'd be fit to be a hit witch, she hadn't realized that meant spending all day in her office in the ministry until they had a target to hunt. If she had known, she might have said no to the prospect. It wasn't as though she loathed the job, just the mandatory office hours. In fact, if it weren't for Kinsey, her partner, she'd probably have gone AWOL on a few ministry workers by now.

 When Aurora had graduated, she'd spent a year with the ministry’s toughest trainer. Cameo Deacon was a man who did not take no for an answer. He’d immediately made it clear that he did not have high hopes for her success, which may have been the best thing he could have done to ensure it. She worked tirelessly to prove him wrong, spending late nights exerting herself physically and mentally, coming home tired. She’d spar with him, coming home looking as though she’d been mugged. It paid off in the end; however, and she had been one of two new hit wizards accepted to the squad.