we dream of a brand new start

25. Former Chaser. Gryffindor Alumnus.

[julianxwood]

Julian Wood’s posts with Serenum HQ are now archived below.

[julianxwood]

Penciled In

yesmrpotter​:

“Obliviators have always worked closely with our department.” Harry explained, impressed by the questions Julian had chosen to ask. It proved how thoughtful he was, how genuinely interested in the Auror career. “Though we do have permits to perform the spells ourselves if the situation becomes desperate. Though legally we can only do so with another member of our department present.” It was too risky otherwise, and far too easy for somebody to try and cover any mistakes they may have made on duty. “Unless it is an absolute emergency, we call in the Obliviators.”

Nodding with a smile at the mention of training lasting three years, he hummed quietly. “Usually, though given the current… state of the world, we are able to push people forward if we need to. If they demonstrate the right level of skill, that is. I trained on the field, others have before me, and I’m sure there will be witches and wizards in the near future who do so as well. It’s a matter of circumstance.”  Thinking quietly for a moment, he nodded again. “Training includes a lot of rigorous testing, you need to show aptitude in Transfiguration, Potions, Apparation, and of course, Defence Against the Dark Arts. You’ll be trained further in the subjects then, and encouraged to explore the ways you feel most comfortable utilising your knowledge. There is a lot of physical training conducted here, but you will also spend time with a Mentor. Depending on what you need personally, we try to alter the courses to suit each individual’s needs. We understand no two people work or learn in the same way.”

Waiting to ensure Julian had taken in the onslaught of information, he recognised a strange determination in him, one he saw in himself. “Brush up on your knowledge.” He said simply. “Practise, study, learn. Add wards to any buildings you want to be safe, and do your best to keep your head down. Unfortunately, that is all any of us can do right now.” 

“Oh.” The involvement of the Obliviators seemed so obvious already that Julian felt rather foolish that he had asked about them in the first place, but he just kept asking more questions. He was building a genuine rapport with Harry Potter, though this didn’t excite him so much as he was just curious about how the Ministry operated. “Then why not just have the Obliviators work under law enforcement then? Is it really necessary that they have their own department—especially since a lot of what they deal with are people breaking the Statute of Secrecy? It would just seem easier, more streamlined.”

The right level of skill. Those words held Julian back. Back at Hogwarts his wandwork was decent enough to get the marks he needed to have a backup plan—but the backup plan was tossed so long ago that he wasn’t sure they even counted towards anything. Sure, he knew basic cleaning charms and could probably still turn a tortoise into a tea kettle… but he wasn’t sure how much catching up to do would need to happen. It was comforting to know that there was so much invested in their new recruits.

“How long has it been since you’ve mentored someone?” Julian doubted, if he decided to go down this path, that Harry himself would be doing the mentoring. He didn’t expect to be introduced to whichever Aurors had mentees already, nor did he expect to be taken seriously either; what did the Department of Magical Law Enforcement want with a former athlete?

He exhaled, then grimaced a little. “I wish that wasn’t the case—you know, that we have to take all of these extra precautions. But that’s just the world we’re stuck in.

[julianxwood]

Penciled In

yesmrpotter​:

“Yes.” Harry answered. “And I can’t say I blame them. I only want to ensure the right people get the job, and that the people who may be better suited elsewhere don’t feel as though they have no choice but to commit. It’s difficult, glorified work. Not everybody, and that isn’t to say you don’t, but not everybody understands the true weight of what they are taking on. It’s okay if they don’t, it’s okay if they change their mind. I only want people here to be comfortable and content in their decisions.” 

Sitting back in his chair, he listened carefully. Trying to gauge the motivation behind Julian’s words. Was he against the idea of working with Muggles? Sceptical? Or just curious? “If my staff don’t agree with my choices, they are more than welcome to talk to me. But I do believe anybody against this idea may be happier in another department. This job has never just been about protecting Wizards, but Muggles too. Now we’re bringing the Muggles into the loop, making it easier to notice patterns or unusual events that may have been clocked by their police force.” 

Waiting patiently again for Julian to pose his questions, he smile assuredly. “There are rules in place for certain breaches of the statue. For example, the Muggle Prime Minister has always been aware of our world and the threats it may contain. Only a select few officers will be connected to the Ministry, and they will partially be responsible for upholding the statue on their end. I assure you everything has been thought through and carefully organised.”  His smile growing, he shook his head. “You didn’t offend me, Mr Wood. There is just only so much information I am technically allowed to divulge. You’ll have to forgive me for being vague.” 

--

The longer the conversation went on the more Julian was realizing that he was actually indecisive. He had come in here so sure that he was going to be trained, but it wasn’t the danger he was concerned about. He was okay with possible death or injury—he had been a Quidditch player for over two decades. Julian didn’t think that his spellcasting was that bad as to not go through with this.

Harry Potter did have everyone’s best interests in mind. It wasn’t for everybody. But with threats looming, it certainly felt like they needed everybody. He leaned back to digest all of the information he’s gotten so far, satisfied with his answers. “So I suppose then you’d have to involve Obliviators? Just in case there are incidents of magic being revealed to muggles?”

Obliviators were under the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, and as far as Julian was aware they were a cleanup crew for less serious cases. Not enough to have an Auror working a case because there was no crime involved against someone magical.

“The training—it’s three years? What’s the program like? You’ve mentioned what the job was like, but for someone starting, I’m sure it’s different for them, day-to-day, right?” Perhaps he could come back and confirm that yes, he was going to officially apply and interview and help fight Grindelwald—but three years? It wasn’t a long time, but it was it?

“And—” Julian thought to add quickly, in the case that he decided that he wasn’t going to come back to properly interview. “—for anyone who isn’t an Auror, what are the rest of us supposed to be doing? I suppose we can’t expect our law enforcement to come and save us, can we?”

[julianxwood]

JULIAN WOOD - GRYFFINDOR’S CHASER

MAGPIE GRAY - What was nice about having played for the Montrose Magpies was that their team colors were neutral--black and white. Julian could represent his former team without having to announce it to the world. The suit is a few shades lighter than his former uniform, and it’s not too far from the black that he anticipated others would be dressed in. It’s an attempt to be mature, and its neutrality makes it easy to accessorize.

GRYFFINDOR SCARLET - It wouldn’t be a proper Hogwarts reunion with a touch of scarlet. Julian opted for a more maroon in his tie and watch, while the cufflinks look like the rubies directly plucked from the house point hourglasses. Julian thought that scarlet is too bold for what he was going for; he didn’t need his accessories contrast too with his suit; all he was going for was subtle nod to Gryffindor house.

[julianxwood]

Waving

His eyes lit up upon seeing Victoire. He didn’t know how long ago it had been since they had last seen each other, though Julian recalled feeling rather unresolved about how their relationship ended. Now he didn’t think so much of it; there was more pressing matters to worry about than how the two of them had mutually broken up.

As far as Julian was aware, the two of them were just career minded people. He certainly had a career he focused on, to the point where he just didn’t have the energy to give attention into a relationship as a relationship really deserved. He waved at her from across the room, hoping to catch her eye, and trying hard not to embarrass himself. What if she didn’t see, and he was just waving his arm for no reason? What if she didn’t want to talk to him at all?

It was not like he had an excuse to talk to her, but he couldn’t help wonder how her life was doing since they had last seen each other. In spite of not having thought of her in so long, Julian wasn’t so sure that he did not care in the same way he had before. 

@coquiillage​

[julianxwood]

Midnight Sun

colm-oir​:

Aloma sat on the edge of Julian’s bed, smiling a little softly at him. “Only you can really answer that….but based on what happened on the balcony, I’d say that you aren’t…” She carefully tugged Ronan a bit closer so that Julian could reach him, smiling when the dog leaned into the touch behind the ears. “That’s part of the reason we came to check on you. You two stay here…I’m going to go get you some water.” Carefully standing, she placed a reassuring hand on Julian’s arm before slipping back through the door out to the party.

It didn’t take her long to find an empty glass that was clean and fill it water, though finding one of the Woods was a bit harder. She did let Daphne know that Julian was in his room in case anyone needed him before making her way back. With another knock to announce her presence she quickly slipped back into the room before closing the door again. She laughed a little at Ronan who had his front paws on the bed to make it even easier for Julian to reach his head. “Seems you give better scratches than me…he never does that at home…”

Aloma closed the distance between the door and the bed, setting the water down before she offered her hand to him. “Let’s get you sitting up so you can actually drink the water…”

--

Julian couldn’t respond to Aloma when she had volunteered to get him some water. That took too much effort. The most he could do without his head spinning was to reach from Ronan and pat him on the head, though there was less movement involved than Julian thought was happening and he mostly just lay there with his hand on top of the dog’s head.

The balcony? Julian wasn’t so far gone as to not have remembered the balcony, but he made it out of there alive and perfectly intact. Wasn’t that all that mattered? It was totally lost on him that perfectly well-adjusted people didn’t do stunts like that for no reason.

Julian groaned, not having noticed that she had come back inside. He slowly moved his hand from where it was resting on Ronan’s head and into Aloma’s, and his other arm did it’s best to prop him up so he wasn’t just lying on the bed. But that was probably the most he could do himself, and that process by itself was already slow going since anything else would just make the room spin.

“I’m sorry,” he slurred, though he wasn’t really that sorry for his behavior so much as he felt bad that Aloma had to be the one to care for him then. “I couuuuuld take caaaaaare of myself…?”

[julianxwood]

Paperwork Evening

@mrsgranger-weasley​

Hermione looked at the door as it opening seeing Wood’s old son stepping inside of her office. “It’s fine, come in” Hermione said getting up from her seat to shake the twenty-five-year-old man’s face “I was for sure going to stay here a couple more hours” smiled Hermione as she gestured to the seat opposite her desk. “How are you..?” Hermione had to think a couple of seconds before remembered his name “Julian… sorry, how are you?” asked the woman with a grin.

Hermione looked at the watch on her wrist and even if it was nearly seven in the evening she beamed at the man and grabbed the kettle she had placed in another desk and, moving her wand a little around it, she filled a cup for her. “ Would you like some tea?” asked Hermione politely. “What are you doing here Julian? Any problem I can try to solve or help?”

Julian was surprised that she knew his name, but the magical community was small; everyone knew everyone at this point, and he had gained some notoriety on the pitch. Maybe she paid attention to Quidditch. He as just grateful that she did have the time. He stepped inside and took a seat across from her.

“Tea sounds wonderful, but I don’t want to impose too much. I was wondering if—if your department needed anything. Any help.” He wasn’t sure if the Minister’s office was busier than the Department of Law Enforcement because of the recent attacks.“That is, if you’ve got any positions in your office that needed to be filled?”

He didn’t want to admit outright that he was looking for work, but maybe working a desk job was a better fit for him than being an Auror. But the political sphere was a bitch sometimes, from what he knew of it. Quidditch players sometimes found themselves in politics, though rarely. It took a certain kind of personality to really make it. But that didn’t mean Julian wasn’t willing to try.

[julianxwood]

Penciled In

yesmrpotter​:

Harry frowned, surprised by the sudden attitude. “I didn’t mean to offend you, Mr Wood.” He ensured the boy. That certainly was the very last thing he was hoping to do, but it was important to drill home the seriousness of the commitment, even if it could be patronising to some. “I’m genuinely very sorry if I’ve managed to, but I need you to understand how many people I see who tell me they want to join my department. Almost half of our recruits drop out before completing their three years of training.” 

It was true. For a million reasons, people tended to back out before becoming official Aurors. He could understand the majority of them, which meant they were incredibly reasonable. But he did everything he could when taking new people on to make sure they were going to see the training through to the very end. “I have given Miss Proudmore this speech more than once.” He said, his voice firm. “As I have with every Auror on my team. This isn’t me trying to talk you out of your decision. I just need to know you understand it. If I hired every person who showed an interest, my department would be full of people who either aren’t cut out for the nature of the job, or who will get bored of it before they even qualify.” 

Raising his eyebrows at the sudden question, he was caught of guard. “Everybody on my team is working towards a safer future for Muggles and Wizards alike.” He left no room for argument. “Are you asking out of curiosity or are you questioning the direction my department is taking?” He asked. “Issues will be dealt with as they arise and they will be handled by people who are more than capable of doing so. You have no reason to concern yourself.”

--

It did make Julian feel a little better, though now he had a feeling he was failing this test of character, especially if Leah Proudmore seemed to pass it every time—as someone who had openly admitted to Julian, a complete stranger at their time of meeting, that she was easily scared after having shouted in surprise when Julian made conversation.

“So with all the times you’ve given your Aurors this same lecture, has anyone else decided actually quit being an Auror?”

Whether Julian wanted to hear this over and over was probably going to be the deciding point to move forward with training. But he was beginning to fascinated now by the future plans the DMLE had in store. He was never particularly interested in politics or muggles (because who cared when there was Quidditch?), but to work with muggles was a move so bold that he was sure everyone was talking about it. Or had been, until Albus Potter got attacked.

“Out of curiosity, sir. It’s just that muggles don’t have the same abilities we do, and there are people who aren’t comfortable with the idea of working with them—again, that’s not the problem then, since I suppose there’s no point in trying to appease those who don’t want to see progress.”

The plan, Julian thought, was complex, but he had faith in this department in spite of Harry’s non-answer. Julian genuinely thought that they had the best interest of the magical world at heart—and where could danger lurk best but their blind spots? It was a great idea.

“But I wasn’t sure how you were planning to work around the muggles’ lack of magical abilities. And especially with keeping the Statute of Secrecy in mind—how do we tell them about magical crimes and keep our world a secret at the same time?”

Whether or not the muggles were up to task was a different story—one that Julian didn’t know. He added something to clarify his intention with his questioning, because he really was just curious.

“I didn’t mean to offend you either.”

[julianxwood]

Potions Purchase

mikhailpetrov​:

Mikhail didn’t think the questions were rude, and they weren’t particularly personal either, so he didn’t mind answering them. Some people would probably say his motivations were a personal question, but Mikhail knew how to get around things like that if it became too much of an issue. “I quite enjoy it actually. Which was a little bit surprising to me because I always thought I would do something…more rugged, but it’s enjoyable.” Mikhail shrugged a little bit.

“What do you do?” He hadn’t tracked quidditch since his accident, at which point he was told by doctors he would never be able to properly play again. There were too many vulnerabilities that came with being half blind, and quidditch wasn’t very forgiving, so most teams would immediately take advantage of it, which wasn’t good for him. “I assume you are at least a fan of quidditch considering the magazine and conversation,” he grinned.

--

“Rugged how? Like an Auror? I think they’re very busy, you know—I think the law enforcement’s going to work with the muggles.” The age of dark wizards were no longer present as far as Julian was aware, so the Aurors now weren’t exactly roughing it. No one could complain now that the world was safer, and that the age of dark wixen on the streets were behind them. “And why that instead of… you know… whatever else you thought you were going to do?”

Maybe this guy had enough ruggedness to last him the next decade or two. Julian did prefer the quiet life, so that much he would understand. What he should have expected then was to have the question parroted back to him, that he would also have to give an answer for what he did.

“I play Quidditch.” Julian shrugged. While he didn’t mean to sound cryptic, he didn’t want to admit that he didn’t play Quidditch anymore. This stranger might not care about Julian’s retirement from professional Quidditch, but it had still cut deep into Julian’s ego. Perhaps it wasn’t the separation from Quidditch, so much as it was taking so long to find what he was doing next.

[julianxwood]

Midnight Sun

colm-oir​:

Aloma had indeed gotten the chance to catch up with Daphne for a moment before she’d been whisked away by Oliver for beer pong with the boys. She’d watched for a little bit, smiling softly to herself until one of her school friends had grabbed her attention. The majority of the rest of her night had been spent talking and reminiscing with old classmates as she entertained her dog, though she and Ronan had followed to sound of commotion to the balcony where her heart stopped momentarily at the sight of Julian launching himself and his broom over the railing.

She feared the worst as she fought her way to the edge, letting out a ragged breath of relief when she saw Julian fly up and perch on the railing to accept the cheers and applause of the crowd behind her. She didn’t know what was going through his mind as she carefully helped him down, though she knew he wasn’t all there in that moment as he stumbled past her and down the hall to what she assumed was his room. Was leaving him alone after the display here a good idea? Would he only be cross with her for invading his personal space or would he appreciate her coming to check on him?

A nudge from the wet nose of a dog pulled Aloma out of her thoughts, reminding her that even drunk friends still probably need a shoulder to cry on. She made her way carefully back into the apartment, much slower than she had on her trip out into the night air, barely dodging a couple of drunk friends as she came to the door. She took a deep breath and knocked before she opened it, slowly stepping into the room and closing the door behind her and Ronan as she caught sight of Julian. “…..Hey. You okay?”

--

Julian could only make out a silhouette in the distance, with the lights of the party flooding through the open door. The creature that followed made it evident that it was Aloma with Ronan accompanying her, and his assumption was confirmed by her gentle question as she approached him.

Had it been anyone else who had let themselves in, he probably would have been much more belligerent about needing his privacy. He was in his own house and he didn’t need some Prophet spy to report on him.

“Am I?” Julian asked weakly. He didn’t know why it had come in the form of a question rather than an answer. He wasn’t doing well but he was either too drunk or too stubborn to admit it; even totally drunk he still knew how to lie to himself. Perhaps she could give him a real assessment of himself—though how could she? This party had been the first time they talked in ages. “How are we sure that the real question is that you’re okay?”

For how philosophical Julian sounded, the fact that he managed to string a few words together and made it sound like a question was sort of a miracle. Julian lifted his hand to reach for Ronan’s head to give him a scratch behind the ears, but he was too tired to lift himself up to extend his reach further than where he lay.

[julianxwood]

Penciled In

yesmrpotter​:

Harry noticed the sudden change in Julian’s demeanour and tried to understand what might be the issue. But eventually he was forced to let it go, realising the boy wasn’t planning on explaining himself. “You say that now… but I urge you to consider the future too. Do you any plans to settle down and start a family? If you meet somebody and they get upset about your lack of time to spare, how are you going to feel?” 

Offering his company a smile, he couldn’t admit that he was right. The unpredictability, the importance, the potential for genuine action… it was why most people chose to pursue the career. “It is.” He admitted. “But that’s precisely why you need to make an informed decision. It isn’t always exciting, it isn’t always coming into work to find people who are dangerous. There are days where you will be working in the offices too, filing paperwork and following paper trails. Is that something you might still find interesting? Or would that dampen your motivation? Most people don’t realise I spent all of my time in this office managing the department… it’s very easy to imagine Aurors saving lives on a daily basis, dueling dark Wizards and sending them to Azkaban.” 

Raising his eyebrows at the question on Magical Law, he was amused by Julian’s apparent curiosity, he had already proven to be incredibly observant. “Working with Muggles has become a necessity.” He said quietly. “It’s extra eyes and ears for us, and we will be able to lend our magic and help close a few Muggle cases in return. It’s beneficial for both parties, so long as it remains contained. I’m not sure how… interesting it will be. But hopefully it will prove productive.” 

--

Julian had to hold himself back from laughing. A family? He couldn’t even stand his own.  Meet someone? He had met everyone that he needed to meet. There was so little that Julian had to hold on to. But that didn’t mean he didn’t take the line of questioning personally. 

“Sir, I’ve already told you I’m all in. But it sounds like you’d rather not have a new Auror. Did you give Leah Proudmore this same speech?” He tried to be as respectful as possible, even though this was contrary to what Julian understood to what the department’s needs were. But Julian wasn’t the one running the show—so if Harry Potter didn’t want another person trained up, then that was his decision. No amount of convincing on Julian’s part then would change his mind.

Julian wouldn’t mind the paperwork. He was surprised that was the concern, and instead of whether he can duel or not. He wanted a relatively normal career post-Quidditch, though usually most of the people who retired rested on their earnings and found their way through entertainment. But he couldn’t help but be a little fascinated by this new way of working on things.

“So how do you address those who won’t take a muggle witness’s statement as true?” There had already been political implications, but Julian didn’t need to get into those; it wasn’t like Harry was unaware of them. “Especially when muggles aren’t trained to look for what magical folk know what to look for—or perhaps can’t even see what magical folk can.”

[julianxwood]

Paperwork Evening

mrsgranger-weasley​:

The light was setting in London and the people started to walk home to relax, but it was not the case of Hermione. The fourty-seven-year-old was in her office only focused on the papers on her table. She was used to get lost in her work, in that aspect she didn’t change a lot from her Hogwarts years, which now those were just memories. She would like to say that, after the War, all came back to normal, but Death Eaters were moving and causing trouble. Hermione was relaxed knowing that Ron would be going back home and could take care of Rose and Hugo if they needed to, she knew they were old enough to take care of themselves, but she liked to think her husband was home ready for everything.

Hermione suddenly heard someone knocking at her door which made her jump in her seat. Hermione placed her hand on her chest trying to calm down. “The door is open”

--

Julian hadn’t planned on going to the Minister’s office, but what was his schedule nowadays? He had a lot to think about, and he wasn’t sure if his meeting with Harry Potter had been successful. The Minister’s office was in the same building, and while Julian thought about becoming an Auror, that wasn’t his only option.

A part of him wanted commitment. But he wanted to commit to the right thing.

Before quitting Quidditch, Julian himself hadn’t been in the Ministry of Magic so often, though now he solicited each department every day. Did the Minister usually get visitors or was she hounded by people who complained about policies? Julian had gotten past the receptionist if only because he didn’t sound like he had too much to whine about.

He thought about what he was going to say before he came in, but she called for him to come inside before he could. The most he knew to do was that he was not going to apologize for stopping by.

“The receptionist told me you weren’t busy, but if this is a bad time,” As it always seemed to be, for everyone who worked in government. Especially now that someone had been attacked because of the Ministry’s inaction. “I’d—I’d like to schedule a meeting with you.”

[julianxwood]

Midnight Sun

colm-oir​:

She smiled softly at him, relaxing on his couch with him and her dog. “We should plan it out then…make a weekend of it or something like that.” Aloma’s soft smile turned into a grin, scratching behind Ronan’s ears. “Order some take-away from somewhere and just…relax. We could all use a weekend where the biggest worry was making sure Ronan was taken out.” She wasn’t quite sure why she was just so determined to make sure Julian had a relaxing weekend, but he was one of her close friends so she knew that it mattered to her, at least on that level.

Though, she wouldn’t deny that she’d look forward to a quiet weekend with him in her flat, just the two of them with her dog. She’d never considered it before, but now that she was…it was a nice thought. She nodded when Julian stood, absentmindedly running her fingers through her bear of a dog’s fur as she watched him maneuver around partygoers and furniture to get her food. A weekend of muggle movies, take-away, and quiet with him sounded really good to her.

“Thanks, and it’s no trouble…if this doesn’t fill me I can always throw something together tomorrow when I get home.” She smiled as she took the plate, popping one of the procured hors d'oeuvres in her mouth. “These are pretty good, I really do appreciate you not only offering to let us stay over tonight just so you can buy me dog food in the morning…but also you braving the masses to get me food.”

--

Julian didn’t remember when he had been separated from Aloma, but he did remember a pong game where he was looking rather sullen at being dragged by his brother to play pong with his father and stepmother. Of course, Julian had to oblige; it was Daphne Greengrass’s birthday.

What happened afterward was much less clear. Julian had more shots than he had anticipated on taking after losing (graciously, of course) to his parents. He had fished his broom out of the closet they kept at the balcony and pitched himself off the edge, proving that he can catch himself mid-air before he hit the ground, flying back to be greeted by a cheering crowd.

He wasn’t sure at what point he realized that this was probably the last time he was going to hear a crowd cheer for him. Julian remembered throwing someone out of his room before tossing himself on the bed. He wasn’t crying—not when his dad was here—and not even over something important. Physical pain was worth the tears, but the emotional weight wasn’t seen.

The bravado from coming off the balcony was wearing off and Julian was sure he would feel the effects of it long after the sun had risen. They didn’t even have any real food at the house yet; Julian had more liquor than anything else. Aside from preventing people from going further than making out on his bed, he wasn’t in the mood to throw anyone else out if they came in. He rolled over, trying to focus on the figure nearby.

[julianxwood]

Potions Purchase

mikhailpetrov​:

“We do a little bit. Our country is much smaller than England, so we don’t really have enough people to make the same leagues professionally. So, out leagues are for younger people, you are juniors and then when you are good enough you play nationally. Then from there and there.” It had been a long time since Mikhail paid attention to anything related to Bulgaria, so it was fully possible that things had changed since he left. It wouldn’t matter much to him. “But yes, only one world cup team.”

For a moment, Mikhail furrowed his brows and thought through the question. Maybe he was missing something, as he was often missing something, or overthinking. “In this place or in this country?” He tried to clarify and then realized it didn’t actually matter. “I’m the defense against the dark arts professor at hogwarts, so I moved to this country for that, but I’m only in this town to see Albus. I don’t come here very often and don’t live in this place.”

--

Bulgaria had been good—enviable, even. Julian had tons of questions about what practices were like, though this man wasn’t actually a player or a coach himself. He was curious to see what other teams were doing differently and how they formulated strategies… but that seemed like a question for another time, though Julian let some silence pass as he thought about Quidditch before the man asked what Julian had been asking about what brought him here.

“I mean—yes.” Julian realized that his question was probably a little rude, not really sure what he meant by it himself, though the answer… was not one he actually expected. A part of him suddenly realized how detached he was from the school that he was no longer aware of whatever faculty changes had happened over time. That was bound to happen just by Julian being busy being (or trying to be) an adult. “How do you like it—being a teacher?”

Julian had been asking tons of people about all of their work lately, trying to find his place that didn’t involve being in the sky getting whacked in the head by bludgers. He could teach flying, and he saw himself becoming a referee. It was a simple, stable solution to a problem he couldn’t quite manage to solve.

[julianxwood]

Penciled In

yesmrpotter​:

Harry shot the boy a puzzled look when he answered his question with obvious hesitance. He could only hope he wasn’t giving up on his current career for negative reasons. Quidditch was difficult, but it should be enjoyable too. “Proudmore?” He asked, smiling at the mention of Leah. “She’s one of my best. She has a year of training left but I can already see she was made for this. You met her?” The Wizarding community in Britain was small, largely focused in London, so it was no surprise to hear people continually crossed paths, but he was interested to know more about the interaction. Was Leah responsible for Julian’s sudden desire to become an Auror? 

“My pros and cons?” It was an incredibly loaded question considering he had become an Auror for personal reasons. It had never been about loyalty to the Ministry or upholding the law, it had been about eradicating the Death Eaters who had escaped justice after the downfall of Voldemort. It was about making sure every person who had ever made his life a living hell was serving time in Azkaban for their crimes. “It’s hard work.” He started. “It’s an awful lot of training and then when you’re finally on the job, it takes up every element of your life. You’re constantly working, you have no control over when and where a lead may come to you, and then you have to follow it as soon as it does. It doesn’t matter if you’re eating dinner with your family, or in the middle of something important. You have to be ready to move.” He explained. 

“And it’s tiring for the same reasons. In the same way medicine is constantly evolving… Healers need to be retrained every few years to stay on top of the new techniques, it’s the same here. There are new spells, new potions, new techniques we can used based on those things. You never stop learning, you have to change with the process, I hope that makes sense.” At the mention of working with Muggles, he faltered. He hadn’t been doubting his decision to follow through with his plan, but it always made him nervous to consider the threat being held over his children. “Yes.” He said quietly. “That is the plan. The department won’t have a lot of communication with the Muggle law enforcement until we have settled any teething problems. But after that, I’m hoping for an open discourse. A constant back and forth, which is going to be a culture shock for all of us, I suppose.”  

--

Julian tried not to look surprised. Was the bar so low that the girl he met at the furniture store was actually supposedly one of the best? “Er—yes. I’ve met her, very briefly… while shopping for couch cushions.”

He sounded reluctant when he started talking about her. His first impression of her hadn’t been great, but to bring up the details of a meeting that only lasted about half an hour didn’t seem important. Julian didn’t think she was Auror material at all, but it wasn’t his job to convince Harry otherwise.

Instead Julian noted that he didn’t really name any pros to the job, so what kept Harry Potter here when he could literally be doing anything else?

“It’s a good thing I’ve got a lot of free time and nothing to keep me from the job then,” Julian nodded, feeling rather confident for someone who’s ready to take the helm on such a big decision. He wasn’t afraid of commitment. Rather, he was afraid of having nothing to commit to. Or was it that big of a commitment? He didn’t want to ask how many people dropped out after finishing training, especially because Julian was determined not to be one of those people.

The question wasn’t something that he expected Harry to know, but Julian’s expression was eager. “Everything you’re saying about the job—isn’t all of that what makes it… interesting? Especially working with the muggles too? Is that what keeps you working with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement?”

[julianxwood]

Penciled In

yesmrpotter​:

Harry raised his eyebrows, genuinely happy to hear that apparently nothing was wrong. It was almost refreshing given how many people had approached him this week with ridiculous ‘leads’ and informal complaints about trivial matters he wasn’t responsible for. “The Aurors?” He asked, suddenly interested. “Are you thinking about a change in career?” He sat up a little straighter, pushing his glasses further up his nose. This would be a ridiculous time to recruit anybody who needed training, but he refused to shut down his entire department because of a threat to himself and his family. 

Things needed to continue, and as such that meant recruiting needed to continue. “There’s no set date for recruitment.” He assured Julian. “You apply in the same way you would apply for any other job, and then you join a three year training programme. It’s… extensive. You need to be sure it’s what you want before putting yourself through such rigorous testing. Have you considered the pros and cons?” He asked, pulling open a drawer in his desk and shuffling through some papers until he found a leaflet on Auror training. It was similar to the leaflets he had been given during his Fifth Year at Hogwarts. Merlin, that seemed like another life. “Here.” He handed it over to Julian with a gentle smile. “There’s a lot of information in there, I suggest you speak to a trainee if you know anybody in the office. I can put you in touch if you don’t. It’s a good way to get a feel of what’s expected of you.” 

Usually, he would leave it at that. Technically answering questions about potential applications wasn’t a part of his job description. But this was Julian, the son of his friend. He owed Oliver more than that, and so he leaned back in his seat, eyeing the boy curiously. “Do you have any questions? I might be able to answer a few of them.” 

--

“Er—yes. Exactly that. A career change.” Julian didn’t need to get into his whole rationale for doing so. His retirement shouldn’t be anyone’s business, though he hoped being an Auror didn’t require the same skillset than being a chaser did. As far as he could tell, there wasn’t really overlap.

It felt silly to be here if he were going to just be handed a pamphlet, but he did hit a snag considering Harry’s advice. A three year training program… meant that Julian would at least be set for the next three years. After that felt pretty straightforward. The pros and cons were developing as they spoke, and that was the reason that Julian had come in the first place. Besides, didn’t the DMLE need people now? Julian mostly depended on the fact that it would be stupid of them to turn away a potential new Auror.

“The only trainee I know…” Julian started slowly. He didn’t even really know her; he just met her in a furniture shop when he moved in to the flat with his siblings. Hell, he didn’t even sound so sure of himself when he said the name. “… is the Podmore girl?”

His first impression of Leah hadn’t been good, but there had to be other people he’d be working with, right? But Julian just moved on to his questions, which he was honestly kind of making up as he went along. “What’s your pros and cons list for this job? And are you still working with the muggles?”

[julianxwood]

Penciled In

yesmrpotter​:

Harry had been told that a Mr Julian Wood was waiting to see him in his office when he arrived back from a quick Floor meeting with some other departments heads. He knew of Julian, of course. How could he not? But his friendship with Oliver outside of Hogwarts had been relatively casual, they only ever spoke on occasion when they crossed paths at a Quidditch event, so he hadn’t managed to become acquainted with his son. But that didn’t mean, however, he wasn’t willing to help Oliver out when he was able to, and he had specifically requested a meeting on behalf of Julian, which he found incredibly curious.

Straightening his glasses, running a quick hand through his hair, and tucking his file of paperwork more firmly under his arm, he opened his door with a tired smile, making his way to stand behind his desk. Julian looked older than he remembered him being, he made that mistake with so many of his friends’ children. But it was his serious expression that truly struck him. Setting down his papers, he reached out to shake his hand. “Mr Wood.” He nodded formally, before undoing his professionalism by dropping down into his chair, a quiet sigh escaping him before he could even consider maintaining his composure. “Is everything okay? Your dad said you wanted to see me?” 

--

Julian sat up a little straighter as he watched Harry take his seat across from him. Harry was probably used to seeing people be reverent and Julian was no different in this case, even if he were rather hasty in answering his question.

“Oh—everything’s fine.” Probably not the best thing to say to someone who’s children have been threatened by a cult of dark wixen, but to Julian… everything was fine. Sort of. He had a feeling that his definition of fine was markedly different from Harry Potter’s definition of fine. “But yes, I did—I did want to see you… about the Aurors? And what you’re looking for when you recruit?”

Being an Auror was noble, though Julian was rather… unaware of the risks involved. Nor did he notice the way Harry sounded tired; maybe he was polite enough not to tell Julian that this meeting was a waste of time. But would they need more people then now that the Death Eaters are back? Would it be rude to ask about what’s going on and what’s being done?