The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix - Part One

The Letter of Resignation

James arrived at Underhill's office with Frank Longbottom at his heels.

"James, you can't do this, you can't - you've got no idea how hard it is to get in this program, if you quit now they won't ever let you back on when you cool off and changed your mind for it, alright? Besides that, I can't afford to bite it because I told you about the blank case, alright? I've got to make it through this - and Ali, she needs me to have a good job and all, you know? Think about Lily! What would she think?"

"She is proud of me for admitting the program isn't what I was hoping," he said, coming to a stop just outside of Underhill's office, "And she thinks I can make my own decisions."

"So she knows you're quitting?"

James nodded. "Yeah, she does. And she supports me in it."

Frank looked miserable.

"Look, Frank, I'm sorry I snapped at you back there. I'm mad at Underhill, not you. I was going to tell you about what I knew for the Marjorie Grant case so you didn't have to retrace my steps at Fallengunder and all that, I reckon my ties to Remus got me a lot further with Frek and Elva than you would've done there. But it was all for nothing anyway. I was just surprised is all. I shouldn't have been - bloody full of myself to think I'd get such a serious case as my first... without doing hardly any work for it, too." He shook his head.

"I mean, I half expected them to give you a real one the day you walked in the door, along with a promotion to head of the department and a basket of cauldron cakes, honestly."

James laughed, "What? Why?"

Frank replied, serious, "Because you're better than half the licensed aurors in this department on their best days - combined."

James felt his throat tighten, "I dunno."

"Well I do," Frank said, "And so do Underhill and Moody. The Prewetts have said it too, you know. It's common knowledge here that you don't take shit, James. You've done more than this program could ever teach you, the training is a formality you don't need." He shrugged. "You could probably train them yourself."

James stared down at his trainers.

"And that's why you shouldn't quit," Frank said. "You're a bloody hero already. Let'em show you how to fill out the paperwork proper and pay you for it."

James took a deep breath. He looked Frank in the face and dropped a palm onto the older boy's shoulder. "Thanks, Longbottom, I appreciate that a great deal."

"Of course, Potter. You won't regret sticking to the program. You'll be darting about saving the day all over the place again in no time."

James smiled sadly. "I'm not changing my mind, Frank, I'm just thankful for your kind words." He turned before Frank could argue him again and nearly knocked into Alastor Moody.

Moody looked furious, until he saw James and the fury turned to relief. "There you are," he said, and though he kept his voice gruff, his face was clearly pleased. James noticed he had a few new scars since he had seen Moody close up last and he wondered where he had collected them from. "Potter - good to see you. Listen, Mr. Underhill has acted rashly, and I've just come from telling him so. Why don't you come up to my office and we'll discuss a transfer, I think Underhill's a poor fit. We will get you reinstated and then you can come work in my office - with Bones out, we'll be needing some extra hands on things upstairs, and -"

Frank looked hopefully at James, but James said, "I'm sorry, sir. I'm only here to collect my things and leave behind a bit of my mind." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a folded up bit of parchment. "My formal resignation letter, sir."