Bad [Harry Potter Fanfiction] (Bad Series: 1)

Epilogue | It's time.

Jack paced in front of the fireplace in the Minister's office. His team was ready, the President was off to the side talking with the Minister. Everything was good to go. Except...

He glanced at the door again.

What the hell? What the actual hell? Was he really not going to show?

He checked his watch. It was almost noon. Their departure time. The last day had been a whirlwind up until waking up in an empty hotel bed. The spot next to him had been cold. Sharp had been gone for a while.

Last night had been... He didn't even have a word for it. Magical seemed to cliché. After leaving St. Mungo's, they'd gone straight to his room and hadn't come up for air for a mighty long time.

Jackson Sharp was giving him whiplash, how quickly he changed from one mode to another. Jack had no idea how to keep up. This morning, he'd been in such a mood, the President had bitched at him for half an hour for not focusing. The truth was that he should know better. Distractions in this line of work could prove deadly.

He ran his hands over his face then checked his watch one more time. Ten minutes. It was obvious he wasn't coming. Potter either. Weasley had made some excuse for him, but that was okay. He understood better than any of them.

Fyrefox.

He exhaled. What a shock. He peeked over at the President, but he was still caught in his conversation with the Minister. He did, however, work on guarding his thoughts. He pushed away anything that might have to do with the thief, but that brought forward the other problem.

Sharp.

Shit. Maybe he should just shut off all thought. Complete Auror mode. Leave emotion locked away until he had a moment to himself.

"Waiting for someone?"

Jack flinched.

Weasley laughed. "Sorry Harry couldn't make it," he said, watching Jack's expression. "But you don't really care about him being here, do you?"

Jack glared at him.

Weasley laughed again and patted his shoulder. "I saw Sharp when I was heading this way. He said he would be here. He'll be here."

Maybe he said that. Maybe... He rubbed his chin. Last night had been all physical need, but there had been no words or promises or anything like that. It had been fear, the look in Sharp's eyes had made Jack's heart race. He felt it too. Something he shouldn't be feeling yet. Something that was happening way too fast. He couldn't put a name to it. Wouldn't do it. Not yet. But that was if Sharp put any effort into finding out. Waking up in a cold bed alone seemed like Sharp wasn't.

He cleared his throat and turned towards the President. "It's almost time. Are you ready?"

The door burst open and Sharp rushed in with something in his hands. Something that stopped all conversation in the room.

"Bloody hell, the Golden Unicorn Horn!" Weasley cried. "Where did you find it?"

Sharp put it down on the Minister's desk, but all Jack could do was stare at it. How did he find it? He glanced back at Sharp. From what Potter said, it was lost.

In the corner of his eye, he caught the President watching him. He shut that thought right down and focused on Sharp. A mixture of anxiousness and heat rose in him. He purses his lips. Merlin. Last night flashed in his mind, and he noticed the President look away.

"It was on Potter's desk." Sharp took a step back. "No note or anything. Just there."

"Wow," Weasley whispered.