Seamus Finnigan (approbation) wrote in vrrpg, @ 2016-10-17 12:36:00 |
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Entry tags: | !backstory, !complete, char: pandora montgomery, char: seamus finnigan, location: residence, time: 2004 |
RP: 2004 Backstory - Pandora & Seamus meet
Spring 2004
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There were plenty of boxes to check off on this particular case file for, Pandora Deoiridh Montgomery. Seamus remembered the name from the war - even remembered the girl. The woman who’d been charged with being a Death Eater despite her attacks at the Battle of Hogwarts being for the side she’d in theory sworn against. He’d seen her fighting. He’d seen her kill. Seamus had been assigned to shadow Walter Munch (auror of 26 years) for the last six months of his Auror training. The older wizard was a seasoned pro at this “dark-wizard check-in” procedure. Nothing really surprised him. “She’s signed up for the UK International Dueling team so we have to do all this extra paperwork?” Seamus asked with a slight whine as he looked through the case file and they climbed the stairs to the woman’s flat. “She’s a convicted Death Eater. It’s procedure.” the 50-something wizard said flatly. “Yeah, but… she’s been approved to compete internationally already. Doesn’t that mean we trust her to duel competitively?” “She hasn’t competed to represent the National Team… so… it’s more paperwork.” “So-- her dueling people without the clout of being on the UK team is okay. But she--” “Finnigan,” the man interrupted as they got to the flat door, “Shut up.” Seamus clenched his jaw and shut the green folder with a shrug. Munch knocked. Instead of the woman pictured on the case file answering the door Fillius Flitwick answered with a burst of energy. “Mr Munch,” he nodded before acknowledging Seamus, “And Mr. Finnigan! How are you old boy? Growing up nicely I see.” “I’m good, professor,” Seamus nodded with a genuine smile. Munch entered with a stony face and cold eyes for Pandora. Seamus acknowledged that Pandora Montgomery was present with a nod in greeting with a slightly softer pull of his lips. Munch, however, spoke before anymore pleasantries could be started as he snatched the file from Seamus. “This is a check in to review the life and agenda’s of Pandora Deoiridh Montgomery in regards to evaluating her ability to properly represent the United Kingdom in the International Dueling Competition of 2004.” the man read dryly. “Say’s here Filius Flitwick is to be her chaperone and guardian during the event, is that correct?” “Quite correct,” Flitwick nodded. v “Protocol requires that we interview you two separately…who wants to go first?” Flitwick immediately raised his hand and motioned for a door to another room. “We’ve already set up a sitting area in here so we can get started.” The two older wizards entered the room leaving Seamus and Pandora to amuse themselves. Seamus had already sat through a number of guardian interviews already, and was really only there to sit in on the interview with Miss. Montgomery. Whom he acknowledged looked eerily familiar. Not because he recognized her from school, but because she looked like someone he knew.. He just couldn’t place who. His attempt to remember, of course, completely made him unaware of the fact that he was standing in the middle of the room staring. Dora was incredibly grateful to Filius for everything he was doing for her. There were many days even now that she thought she'd have died if not for his kindness and his encouragement. Especially considering she'd never been a member of his House, simply an incredibly talented student of Charms and later dueling. She was pretty certain she'd never have gone through this process at all if he hadn't started it and kept pushing her about it. It would have been enough, at least at the time, to know she made the team. She might even have eventually considered Austria’s offer to take a slot on their team. Eventually. Blast and damn this feeling she still had for this fucking country. She'd dressed with exceptional care for the interview, the robes of a slightly militant cut that flattered her while still giving her free range of motion, without completely robbing her of her femininity. They were green rather than black, and the color brought out some of the green in her grey-green eyes. Hair neatly done, a couple simple pieces of jewelry, and she looked on the surface like the well bred witch she technically was. She took a deep, calming breath as the knock sounded, and her face was blank with a polite smile by the time the two men walked in. It tightened slightly upon seeing the younger Auror and Munch, who had always disliked her, and she was certain in that moment that her mother was aiming to make her life as difficult as possible. However, she gave the two the perfect, polite dipping curtsey that any pureblood witch might have managed, taking refuge from her anger in manners. “You may sit down,” she said once the other two left, her voice blandly polite. He was staring, and she wasn't absolutely certain why yet, but she knew she shouldn't antagonize him if she could help it. Seamus caught himself staring when she spoke and he jumped a little. “Right, sorry,” he mumbled and moved toward the closest seat that was readily available. “Might I offer you tea, or will you accuse me of trying to poison or potion you like Faraday did?” Her voice was smooth and held a Scottish accent, but her words were oddly clipped at the ends at times, each syllable carefully enunciated, something that had only increased since her school years since her hearing damage had also increased, though she'd finally found a way around that. The only time she slipped into full brogue anymore was extreme emotion or extreme comfort. “Uh,” he considered her offer not sure how to take the gesture of tea and the use of the word ‘poison’ in the same sentence. This was a test - he knew it. But, considering her background the irishman wondered how many before him had failed her test. “If you poisoned or potion’d Faraday’s tea- then no, thank you,” he offered with a slight tug of amusement on his face. “If you didn’t - then yes please. I’m a white without sorta, chap.” She snorted lightly, somehow not making it unladylike, and one side of her lips moved higher than the other in a smirking sort of grin. “As if they'd let me get away with that, Mister Finnigan,” she drawled lightly. “They'd have me back in chains faster than you could say Azkaban. Besides, if Faraday had bothered to read my file, he'd know I'm utter shite at potions, especially these days.” Potions had always been one of her most difficult subjects, but she'd always persevered in school because she'd needed it to get on the Aurory. She'd always been driven towards that. When that dream had been stolen away, that was when she'd given up on the subject as useless. Her movements was slow and deliberate as she reached for one of the two wands on the corner of the table. She simply tapped it twice and set it down, speaking clearly, “Tea service for two, if you please, Meggie.” A moment later the tea appeared, and she started to pour and doctor the tea. “Wouldn't have pegged you for the Aurory in school, Mister Finnigan,” she said, as she busied her hands, grateful for something to do. “Or is it Auror Finnigan now? My apologies if I was incorrect.” some people got so terribly stuffy about their titles. She was making an effort at polite and light conversation, though, and she met his eyes cleanly above the cups, not being evasive. “No need to apologize,” Seamus offered with a shrug. “I still go by Finnigan most days. So no harm no foul.” To be quite honest, Seamus Finnigan hadn’t gotten into the Aurory for a title. He got into it because frankly he didn’t know what he was doing with his life. A great deal of his youth had been spent fighting. Surviving. Wanting to desperately right wrongs and injustices. Course, when the war was over… none of that really fit in as rapidly as it had early on. And the further time got from the war - the more useless he felt in his choice of career. Directly after the Battle of Hogwarts Seamus had applied to get into the auror program - but he was battling a little more emotional baggage and missed the practical exam all together. He’d settled for a brief time in his history as a hitwizard. He thought that’d keep him busy. It had for a time - but… the “bigger cases” were in the Auror Department. And so here he was… doing this. In retrospect it made little sense. But he kept telling himself the cases he thought he wanted were just out of reach. Another month and he’d be in the thick of it… As Pandora handed him his tea he nodded in thanks and continued with the conversation, “Besides - not an auror just yet. Another month I’ll officially be trained on all the paperwork side of it and they’ll give me a badge. Who knows all the power might just rush to my head and a title might be enough to put me to sleep at night.” a sarcastic snort of amusement at his own words followed. “Well, if you deign to take advice from a convict,” she twisted the word lightly with her tone, preferring it to former Death Eater, something that had not been her true choice, “Don't let it get too far to your head.” The faint smirk again. “It might explode.” For a moment there was a flash of the girl she'd once been, who had a wicked sense of humor and siblings to tease. Seamus had been famous for his explosions, after all. That girl had, by and large, died the day she'd been Marked and her life destroyed. But sometimes parts of her still peeked through the oddly colored eyes and animated the sharp planes and angles of her face. Seamus chuckled lightly at her response and looked at his tea before offering a slightly uncomfortable sigh at the thought. He wasn’t necessarily concerned at the violent implications of language she was offering - but he wasn’t entirely comfortable about it either. Her tone seemed to only match his, right? Either way, he changed the subject. “You going after an olympic title yourself, I hear?” he offered her a casual sort of glance as he raised his tea to his lips for a sip, “Flitwick tells me you’re good.” If she were going to threaten him, he’d know it. She might be subtle, but she wouldn’t waste too much subtly on an obvious Gryffindor. Her life circled around a certain amount of violence anymore, though. And besides, it was only the truth. But she let him direct the conversation. “I am. I've earned my place on the team,” she said, and there was a hint of fierceness and perhaps even pride somewhere under her words. “I won Nationals and World this past year. I'm up to the task, if they'll just give me a chance for once.” Her glare focussed at her tea rather than him. Careful, even now, to avoid provoking him if she could help it. “Filius has been a godsend, helping me to prepare.” She glanced at the door to the other room. “I hope he isn't giving him too hard of a time. Filius means well, but I hate seeing him in trouble on my account.” Her tone didn't color with the fondness she felt for the short teacher, but something in her gaze gave it away briefly. The little man had been the only one to truly believe in her over the years, the only one who had helped out. If he hadn't come to her the day she was released, she was reasonably certain she'd be dead by now, by her hand or someone else's she wasn't certain. “Flitwicks an incredible chap,” Seamus nodded. Remembering fondly the times Fillius along with some of the other Hogwarts staff went out of their way to protect and help the members of Dumbledore’s Army throughout his seventh year. Not that any of that was worth sharing now. “Are you two related?” he asked absently. Going back to his original feeling of having known someone she was related to. He sort of knew the answer already considering they looked nothing alike. But… it was worth asking in the small talk. “Filius and I?” she said, visibly surprised by the question. “No, we’re not. He’s simply… very kind.” It sounded lame, perhaps, but his kindness had saved her life, and even more, probably what remained of her sanity and her soul. It occurred to her then, though, why he kept giving her these odd, assessing looks. She gave him a sharp eyed look over the rim of her tea cup before she glanced down at the liquid, shuttering her gaze. “Perhaps if I might ask a favor?” she said, deciding to be nice about it rather than scathing, since he’d been nice to her thus far. “None of the other Aurors who have visited recently will do so, but if you do not think it will hurt anything, will you give my brother my regards? Hyperion Montgomery. He’s been an Auror for several years, you’ll probably work with him at some point. He was in Gryffindor, too,” she said, and she watched him from under her lashes. “Probably, oh, 4 years above you or so?” He probably wouldn’t love hearing from her, but he probably wouldn’t explode at Seamus. She missed Peri a lot sometimes, but he hadn’t spoken to her since the day she’d had the Mark forced on her. “I would recommend not giving my mother my regards, however, unless you want to get on her bad side. And no one wants to get on their boss’s bad side, especially when they’re new.” She peered at him directly again, her grey-green eyes and dark hair a near match for that of Eugenia Montgomery nee Lestrange, the current head of the DMLE. “Aah,” Seamus nodded suddenly very aware of who she was related to. He and Hyperion Montgomery had engaged in a few passing conversations, but nothing particularly memorable. And given the conversations he’d had with other established auror, Seamus was aware that the man was son to Eugenia Montgomery - so that explained a lot more of where he’d seen those eyes. “Well, no offense, but I’m not so much about getting involved with other people’s family matters,” he offered conversationally. “Don’t really bother to get involved with my own, so...” He shrugged with a grin and sipped his tea. Dora flicked her fingers, absolving him silently of any duty to pass on a message. “Probably for the best,” she said with deceptive lightness. “All family ends up doing is breaking one's heart anyway.” At least in her case. “Right,” Seamus offered a short smile and placed his own tea back on its saucer as he changed the subject with a different question. “So, Miss. Montgomery, what do you like to do other than dueling? Any hobbies?” She let him change the topic gracefully, sipping her tea. “I suppose you can call experimental charms creation a hobby,” she said with an easy shrug. “I do so for dueling and for fun. And I do custom work for my Aunt’s charm shop on the side. I don't know that cultivating a taste for fine whiskey,” or poor whiskey, if she couldn't afford the former, “counts as a hobby, but I like to pretend it does.” made her feel less of an alcoholic anyway. Seamus refrained from grinning wildly at the topic of whiskey - instead he remained calm. He knew whiskey well. In fact he’d spent quite a number of years after the war befriending the large whiskey family. Rye, Scotch, Irish, Bourbon, Malt, Canadian, Tennessean, and a number of other geographical relatives to god’s burden of love and hate in a single bottle. He raised a brow after considering briefly how to approach the question and asked, “What sort of whiskey?” A hint of a playful challenge in his tone as he looked at her with his chin pointed away from her as if waiting for the correct answer. “Well, now, me boy,” Dora said, leaning forward and resting her chin on her fist, a smirk openly playing around her lips as she purposefully let her Scots brogue trip heavily from them. “What kind o’ lass ye think I am, now? I’m a good Scottish girl. Chivas Regal and Teacher’s and Cutty Sark and the like, all the way. Those be my favorites.” She’d always heavily favored Scotch whiskey, in part out of patriotic pride and part out of personal preference. Though she wouldn’t turn down any of the others, of course. Her tone matched his for challenge, as if daring him to say she was wrong in her choices. But there was a playful spark in those intense eyes of hers. “But I don’t have to play favorites now, Mister Finnigan. So long as I have a nice glass o’ gold, I won’t be too picky, unless you try to water me down.” Seamus actually laughed at her answer. Not because he was making fun, but because he genuinely had used the phrase, ’I won’t be picky, unless you try to water me down’ less than 3 hours ago at lunch. His chuckle was immediately followed with a very honest, “Good answer! I like you already, Miss. Montgomery.” It wasn’t a secret, he knew he’d be taking on her case file in the next few weeks. That’s why they were making their rounds this week to make the introductions and finalize whatever asinine extra bureaucratic paperwork processes he needed to know. Dora gave him a quick but genuine grin, and the expression smoothed out the sharpness of her features considerably. She had an epic resting bitch face, but there was a warm heart under it all, if you could get to it. At school she'd been one of the prefects that even other houses could come to for help, and by all rights she really should have been Head Girl. “Happy to have someone on my side for once,” she said. She hadn't had many good experiences with the Aurory since the war. She could hear raised voices in the other room - not yelling, simply louder than before, and she sighed. “I best be ready, I suppose. They sound about finished.” She hesitated then pulled off her bracelet on her left arm. “Have you been on many interviews with Munch, Mr Finnigan?” she asked in an almost weary tone as she pulled off a couple of more items. All charmed items - Munch always made her strip off her charms for her interviews. She didn't even know why she bothered to put them on. “A few,” Seamus nodded in response, but didn’t bother going into detail. It wasn’t really any of her concern. He recognized her actions with the jewelry and grinned, “I take it you’re accustomed to him, yourself?” he nodded toward the jewelry. It was a protocol for protection and general honesty when it came to these sorts of inquiries. One didn’t want any charmed item changing an answer or giving someone more confidence or clout than they would have naturally had given the circumstances. Charmed items tended to muddy up the review process. “A few,” she said dryly. “At least he doesn't actually make me strip.” Her voice went flat on that last. Just all of her charms. Which was humiliating enough at times. Sure, she didn't mind the glamour she removed - though her make up was hand done today, tastefully, but the bracelet was to conceal her Mark underneath her dress, and another concealed a few of her scars. It was the ones for her hearing she hated to remove though. It was humiliating if only because he knew about it and purposefully spoke or sat in a way that made it difficult to read his lips. She smoothed her face blank, though, as she reluctantly plucked the small things from her ears. They looked like a cross between the Weasley Wizarding Wheeze extendable ears and a muggle hearing aide and they were something she'd come up with entirely on her own. They were spelled invisible only when they were in her ears, flickering back into existence as she removed them. She wouldn't be surprised if he hadn't realized. Her medical section in her file was extensive and included a long list of spell damage from Cruciatus among other spells, such as memory charms. It had started as a congenital condition and nerve and spell damage had made it spell resistant, unlike while she was at school. Now she had to have the aides, though she lip read rather proficiently. She had very limited hearing on her right side, and that was always how she tilted her head when listening. She subtly kept her eyes on his face and lips now, so she'd be able to make out what he was saying. Seamus had occupied his attention to his tea as she began to semi-undress herself. It seemed inappropriate to watch. When he glanced up at her post, ear-aid he smiled and opened his mouth just in time for the door of the apparent interview room swung open and out walked Flitwick and Munch. A particular energy of annoyance oozing from the space. “You’re next,” Munch pointed at Pandora with his index finger and then motioned into the room with his thumb. Without waiting for her response he turned to Seamus and handed the man the clipboard. “Don’t muck it up.” Seamus grinned and placed his tea on a nearby flat surface. He shifted through the file to peek momentarily at Munch’s notes then met Pandora at the door. “These are all pretty standard questions. Shouldn’t be too difficult.” The smile she flashed Munch wasn’t sincere in the least. She didn’t see the point in faking it when they both knew that they disliked each other, and faking it took energy she didn’t want to waste. She did squeeze Filius’ hand when he reached out as she passed by him. He seemed rather annoyed on the whole, and she took that to mean it hadn’t gone as well as he had hoped. She tried not to let her heart sink; she didn’t want to admit how much it would hurt to not represent her country at the Olympics. “Sounds good,” she said, following him into the other room, hating how bare she felt without all her charms on. They were armor of a sort even if none of them would actually protect her from attack. She seated herself with grace and aplomb she didn’t particularly feel today. Her eyes stayed riveted on him, though, as much as she’d prefer to look away she couldn’t afford to not ‘hear’ him. “Soonest started, soonest done,” she murmured. |