Second Chances~ Harry Potter

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

The silver doors slid apart to reveal a bustling area with about one hundred witches and wizards doing their various duties. Lane stepped off the elevator and instructed Brutus to take a wide eyed Harry to a small waiting area which already housed a smiling, confident looking young wizard dress spiffily.

"Morning, Evans." Brutus said, regarding the young wizard as he took a seat in a rather ugly, yellow chair. Harry opted to stand awkwardly, leaning agains the wall silently.

"Well, morning to you too, Brutus." Evans said, nodding his head at the larger man.

"What're ya here for this time, Evans?" Brutus asked, eyeing Evans with a bemused smirk.

"I've got a spell I want patented." Evans said, pulling out his wand. "It's gonna be an evolution of Magic. Widespread genius." He said proudly, staring into the sky at something not there. "Would you like ta see?" He asked, his excited voice chirping.

"No thanks." Brutus dismissed him.

"Whatta bout you?" Evans asked, directing his question to Harry.

"Me?" Harry questioned, his eyebrow arched.

"No, the sickly looking ficus behind you." Evans said with an eye roll, exaggerating his sarcasm.

"Leave him alone, Evans." Lane said, appearing the moment he rose his wand. "Have you forgotten your ban?" She asked, crossing her arms and frowning at him.

"Well, ya see, Ms. Lane... I have a spell... Uh, it's ..." Evans stammered, clearly frazzled by Lane's presence. She arched an eyebrow.

"I'll see myself out." Evans finally said, gathering his coat and bag and scurrying for her sight.

"Sorry about him, Harry." Lane said, turning to the silent teen. "He comes here once a week at least with some crazy spell or charm or product he's made and wants patented. It usually ends up with a fire somewhere, somehow."

Harry nodded, his eyes wandering just like his mind as he began to follow Lane down the hall. Countless eyes followed his movements as he walked steadily, ignoring the painful twist of nerves in his stomach. Lane opened a door not unlike the others and went in; Harry and Brutus followed. The room was already occupied by four others. Lane wasted no time introducing the occupants.

Harry and Brutus sat in the two remaining metal chairs and Lane stood, watchful them all carefully. "Edmund." She said. A lanky, Latino young man stood and fixed his strewn glasses. "Harry, this is Edmund Rodriguez, our Chief of Herbology." Edmund, nodded his head in acknowledgement then retook his seat, fiddling with papers nervously. "Rosa." Lane moved on. A smiling, elderly woman with gray hair knotted into a braid that ran the length of her back stood. "Rosa Jenkins, our Curse Enquirer." Rosa smiled at Harry kindly before taking her seat and patting a nervous Edmund on the hand reassuringly. Lane turned to a shorter girl with brown hair and freckles, the second youngest of the group. "Megan Waters." Lane said nodding at the girl. "My second in command, Head of the Heritage Branch." Finally, Lane smiled at the small, nervous looking, dark skinned child who sat in the corner, a coloring book in her lap. "And, because I know you're wondering, Harry, that's Anne, my daughter. I'm a single mother and have no babysitter. That's the end of it." Harry smiled nervously at the little girl, she grinned back, a tooth missing on the top row.

"Alright," Megan said, nodding at Lane. "tell him why he's here."

Lane nodded in response and pulled out a file. Out of the pile she pulled eleven pictures; each one of a different girl, though they all looked similar. She laid the photos out on the table they surrounded, leaving them side by side. Harry watching, his stomach churning sickly.