Hocus Pocus // T. Stark

II

"Excuse me! Sorry, late employ coming through!"

It is a busy morning in New York. Cars fill the streets accompanied by the honks of frustrated drivers. Bicycles pass, ringing their bells to let the people on the overly busy sidewalk know that they need to step aside. It was loud but a certain brown haired female was to busy to notice the sounds. After apparating into an alleyway near her job, the female was now making her way through the crowd. Only one destination in mind: The Woolworth building.

"Excuse me!"

The female is bearing a frown, angrily munching on a sandwich filled with chocolate spread while punching people out of the way. If it was less busy on the sidewalk and people could see her coming they would move out of the way, not wanting to cross this woman. Unfortunately for the other people on the sidewalk that wasn't the case so they only noticed her when it was too late, receiving an elbow in their abdomen. The people were pissed at the woman in her early thirties but it was New York so they were used to it. That didn't stop some of them to scream back at the woman though.

"Yes, excuse you!"

"Ouch!"

The female apologized while going around the corner. She finally set her eyes on her destination at the end of the next street. She could hardly miss it , with it being one of the biggest buildings of New York. Amelia finishing her breakfast as she approaches the familiar spinning doors of the Woolworth building. Taking the entrance on the most left side, she spins through the ultra-fast door. She only just entered the main lobby before her name gets called.

"Amelia!"

"Sorry Timothy, can't talk right now, I'm in a hurry!"

"What did I say about calling me that awful name, just call me Tim."

Amelia gazes to her right, seeing the owner of the voice all while continuing speed walking towards her boss's office. It was a familiar face, a colleague and, dare she say it, friend from work. Timothy Hennigan was a lanky male with short and messy black hair, not as messy as a certain boy who lived but messy enough that it's the first thing that you notice about him. At age 28, Timothy is one of the younger employees of the Ministry. Working in the department of No-Maj Misinformation, Timothy's job is to write cover stories for magical events seen by the non-magical community. Apart from an awkward smile and dorky squared glasses Timothy is quite handsome, in a nerdy kind of way. 

He begins walking next to Amelia, following her around the building. They pass a large and elaborate monument, a homage to those who died during the Salem Witch Trials, before continuing up the stairs that are in the middle of the lobby. A massive, heavy but majestic clock hangs from the ceiling, but instead of measuring the time the clock is used for measuring danger. The little handles swing between levels of danger, going from zero threat to emergency. When Amelia left last night the clock was standing on the dark green meaning that zero threats were happening. Now it moved two spots standing on 'level 2, moderate threat'. 

'Does this have anything to do with my assignment?' Amelia thinks.

The duo walks into the Auror department. 

"No can do Timmy, besides your name isn't the only thing that makes you a dork so it doesn't make a big difference." Amelia says with a grin on her face.

"You are so mean, I don't know why I hang out with you" Tim mutters but a small smile is seen on his face.

"You're the one who is currently speed walking with me" Amelia points out, "besides I know you love my jokes."

She was right about that, even if Timothy would never say that out loud. He knew Amelia's comments were meant as fun banter. She didn't mean it, most of the times, and this was just her way of showing him that she liked his company. And even though Amelia thinks that Tim's a dork, she still enjoys hanging out with him. She sees him as a typical Hufflepuff: kind, honest and loyal. They couldn't be more different but somehow their friendship works. Amelia needs someone who can handle her sarcasm and sometimes even harsh personality while Timothy needs someone to help him out of his shell and to stand up for him when he is too shy to do it himself.