#boxd fanfic

[boxdstars]

Terrible Deals and Better Company

This little drabble is dedicated to @damn-it-a-hogwarts-legacy-blog who's work is absolutely incredible, both her writing and her character interpretations and narratives. I've been dying to write something within this verse, canon or not - I hope you enjoy!

This fic is entirely self indulgent, and is mostly banter between Ominis and Amara (with background Ominis x f!MC) as an exploration of their adult characters

This fic probably won't make a whole lot of sense without reading THIS first, as it was my muse and explains the conflict.

Word count: 2.1k

The journey had been ghastly. Awful was quite the understatement. There was no easily accessible portkey from England to the States, at least none that he’d been familiar with. No doubt there was something tucked away within the Ministries walls themself, but he wasn’t privy to those secrets. So Ominis had to defer to the muggle ways of travel. By boat. Even the word hellish felt too kind to refer to the voyage, which had made him queasy the entire time, and entirely dependent on quick charms to alleviate the nausea.

But he was here now. In the office of the Chief Auror herself. The Magical Congresses up-and-coming pride and joy. But before she was all of that, she was the nuisance who pestered him throughout her time at Hogwarts. And his friend too, of course.

“You look awful,” Amara remarked bluntly. “Merlin’s sake, how come I haven’t seen you in four years? I wish you’d write more candidly, I knew it was bad but…” There was the click of a lighter, and the sound of her breath as she pulled a cigar to her lips, “This is something else entirely. When’s the last time you slept?”

“Last night.” 

“You know what I mean. Slept well. Anything more than six hours?”

He mulled it over, brows furrowing as he did so. Though he’d always had a penchant for napping.. six whole hours of uninterrupted peaceful sleep felt wholly unobtainable. His wife was such a dear, but even her warmth felt so far away in lieu of recent happenings. Though it was scarcely the truth, and despite their best efforts the pervasive anxieties never seemed to fade entirely.

“I can’t recall.”

“You’ve gotten worse at lying I see.” Her lips curled upward into an impish smirk. “Try again.”

There was no point in beating around the bush. She’d called him across the sea for some catching up, and he might as well get the kneazle out of the bag. He sighed in defeat and pulled out several sheets of bound parchment from within his inner coat pocket. 

“Here.”

_

Amara skimmed the pages a thousand times over. Ominis sat across from her, his unseeing eyes ghosting just adjacent to where she sat at her desk. No longer did she don her blazer, only clad in her suspenders, pinstripe trousers, and her white dress shirt whose sleeves were pulled up high above her forearms, resting at her elbows. Her legs crossed over the ornate desk, occasionally bouncing to a rhythm only she could hear. 

“Nasty business.” Amara sat the parchment down. “Figures, with the Ministry. I keep my business with them cut and dry for this very reason.” 

“I didn’t have much of a choice in the matter. I did what I had to.”

“Ease up, I’m not accusing you of anything. Given the circumstances... I’d say you didn’t do too shabby. How’d the wife take all of this?”

“Not.. well.” He faltered. The twinge of regret flickered across his already furrowed brow. It was a classic Ominis expression, one Amara had seen many a time while the blond stewed over his potions cauldron. In a way, she missed it — if not for the circumstances.

“Just as I thought.” She tapped her cigar atop the ashtray before taking another languid drag. “Can’t say I blame her either. The whole thing is a damned mess. I take it she isn’t all too pleased?”

His wife was the interesting sort, Amara remembered her fondly back from their tenure at Hogwarts. Albeit their relationship was a bit strained to start, the girl had been headstrong, reckless, and irritatingly sharp at times. But that was a long time ago, and they hardly wrote to one another these days, except the snippets mentioned in passing from her letters to Natsai.

“It’s more complicated than that. For the time being... I think it’s going to be alright. But this arrangement.. as much as I stand by my word and my choice… part of me worries if it’s going to cause more harm than good.”

That caused her interest to pique tenfold. “Because of the workload no doubt?”

“Something to that effect, yes.” Ominis was holding back, which was of little surprise to her. They were friends, but she’d need to sweeten the pot with a few more drinks before he would start speaking candidly. Still, the fact he was telling her anything was enough to satiate her curiosity for the time being. 

Amara whistled long and low, “The old brass has got you both working to the bone.”

He nodded dismally. It was no wonder Ominis seemed so quiet. He’d always been distant back in school, but where the two of them were concerned, the banter and snark were nothing short of rambunctious. She was staring at a man now, slightly haggard from the anxiety that hung over him.

The auror exhaled a long plume of smoke from her mouth, “I could get you out of this, you know. No physical contact.. no written terms… seems like it’s just itching for someone to dig their claws and tear it all to shreds.”

“Amara…” Ominis warned. He had no doubt his friend was sincere about this as she was shrewd. But even her power base, influential as it may be, was newly established. The connections were there, but they weren’t centuries old. Getting him out of a Ministry agreement was one thing, finding a solution to the wicked nature of his family was another. 

“What? I have more Galleons to my name in just my left pinky than your family has combined! It would be no trouble.“

“It’s you. Of course, there’d be trouble.”

Amara scoffed. “That's beside the point. And it’s not like I don’t know how to take care of myself, honestly, you’re not giving me credit here. It would be quite simple.”

“I disagree..” He spoke tersely under his breath.

“..You’d have to uproot and bring your missus overseas.. but once you’re in our jurisdiction you’d be in good company. No tiresome busywork, no Ministry-sanctioned duties, and not a single Gaunt on your back—“

“Amara.” His voice hardened, turning stern. “You’re not listening.” 

She quickly shot back, “Stop calling me that, you’re in my office.”

“You’re the one acting impetuously. Let me finish first, I’m not denying any of your achievements.”

Impetuous. She gnawed at the inside of her lip. The audacity of the blond knew no bounds. Part of her wanted to refute the word, the other knew if she said anything more she’d only be proving him right. 

“Alright.. speak.” 

He sighed, rubbing one thumb over the other. A nervous tick. Had it been so long he’d started doing that around her again? 

“You are tenacious, yes. And Merlin knows there’s nothing that can stop you from getting what you want. But my family — they’re not the same thing. This is bigger than that.”

She just couldn’t help herself, “How? I'm not some useless receptionist, I'm Chief Auror! And  — and you’re married to well — her of all people! Just between the three of us, we could turn them to dust!”

His voice raised, “That’s the problem. That's what you don’t understand, that you could never understand. You can’t just throw Galleons at the problem until it goes away. And you aren’t going to threaten them either!”

“I’d wager I’d win.” She scoffed. “It’d be a waste of time.”

“Let’s not take that chance then.”

“Fine.”

“Fine.”

The silence was terse, but at least this was familiar. Many a fight had ended in this way, as the two former Slytherins would skulk off to their respective quarters. There was nowhere to hide now, and Amara swallowed the lump in her throat. Arguing was pointless, this was all so exceedingly pointless. She couldn’t win Ominis over today, but admitting that was admitting defeat. So she reveled in the silence, her gaze transfixed on the trails of smoke she exhaled every so often.

“I know you mean well.” His voice was soft now, melancholy even. “I know you’re just trying to do what’s right, in your own horrible way.”

Did he have to throw that in there? Damn him. Still, his words seemed sincere enough so Amara let it linger in hopes he’d continue. 

“It would never work. The situation is grave, it wasn’t as if this deal was thrust upon me. I had to fight with everything I had to protect her. And you must know she’d never agree to it, even less so than our current arrangements. She’ll defend our home with everything she has, no matter how tempting your real estate may be.”

At least he was starting to joke again.

“You’re a match made in heaven, the both of you. Unfathomably stubborn.” 

The clock ticked onward, and they sat there again, rotting away in their thoughts. Really, that was the last thing either of them should be doing. Amara had to do something, say anything. A sidelong glance at her expansive liquor bar seemed to be the timely distraction they needed.

“I think I need a drink after all that, you game?”

He looked as though he were about to refuse. But then, to her immense delight, Ominis nodded. She poured the liquor into two glasses, making sure to fill his a bit more than her own. Maybe it'd help ease his nerves. With a wave of her wand, she slid the glass across the desk and onto his side. The sickly sweet smell of brandy filled the room as he took a long whiff off the top of the glass. 

“Are you going to make love to that thing or should I pour it back in?” Her blunt words caught him off guard and caused his face to flush in embarrassment.

“As always, you’re obnoxious.” He snarked and took a long sip. “Well, I’ll say it. Not bad.”

To his chagrin, it was better than he’d hoped it would be. Ominis had sorely wished he could’ve found something to nag her over, but her alcohol was clearly not the case. Besides, the last thing the Chief Auror needed was him swelling up her ego any more than MACUSA already had. 

“Always delighted that my liquor pleases you, M’lord.” Amara joked wryly. The banter was coming easier now, and some of the visible tension from his forehead began to dissipate. 

The bustling enterprise within the Manhattan landscape seemed oddly quaint from within her outcropping. There was the occasional shuffling and clink of glass and the distant tune of far-off classical from.. someone indiscernible.

“It’ll be alright, Ominis.” She spoke after a few blissful seconds. “I swear it. And should anything happen, you know you can call on me.”

“I know.” He twirled the brandy around his glass, “I know if there’s one woman more hellbent on justice than even my wife, it’s you. As strange as all of this is to even consider, I’ll take that to heart. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

“Let’s hope.” She leaned over and clinked her glass thusly against his own. “And I mean.. there’s always Sebastian. Though Godric knows what heinous mischief he’s up to at the moment.”

That garnered her a small chuckle from his end. “Whatever it is, he’s probably having more fun than the both of us.”

“Speak for yourself, I’m having a ball!” She scoffed playfully. 

“As am I.” 

That was quite a compliment. She inquisitively glanced him up and down, regardless of the fact he wouldn’t notice. But the statement seemed in earnest. In truth, it wasn’t all that rare these days in their friendship, but it still felt like she’d been doused in the freezing depths of the Black Lake.

“Don’t tell me you’re finally fond of me after all.”

Another laugh. “Oh don’t be absurd, the only reason I came mincing across the sea was to pilfer off of your liquor.”

She gave a mock gasp of dismay. “Absolutely not! I’m going to send you away at once, do you even know how much this cost me?”

“Do I want to know?”

“..Probably not.” Her voice pitched slightly in embarrassment, losing the cool confident edge she’d been carrying throughout the bulk of the conversation. 

He snickered at that, “I better get my golds worth, fill me up another won’t you?”

Amara grinned, "It would be my pleasure."

[boxdstars]

Cold Mornings

In which Amara finds solace in the company of her beloved.

Word count: 1.4k

SFW (obviously)

Natsai Onai x OC

Ambiguously set in 6th/7th year

Nondescript gore mentioned in passing

When she woke in the heart of the forest, she was predictably alone. Sunlight streamed through the canopy of trees above, casting long winding shadows on the ground below. Amara rolled onto her back and sighed.

Perhaps the worst part of the morning after, was the taste leftover in her mouth. Today was no different. She fished around with her pinky finger and pulled out a long sinewy strand of.. something.. from between her teeth. She was never hungry on mornings like these. Her lycanthropic counterpart seemed to have a penchant for filling up on whatever she could get her claws on.

“It’s good to see you awake,” Came a voice from nearby.

“Nat..?” She lurched upwards in surprise.

Of course, it was her. Natsai was sitting adjacent to her left, atop a nearby rock. She clung tightly to her arms, despite the sweater she donned. The Gryffindor was terrible with the cold after all. So where was her robe..?

Oh. 

She looked down; it was spread gently across her body. The warmth it provided was probably the only reason she slept in for as long as she had.

She pulled it tighter over her bare form. That was one of the most irritating aspects of her condition, not even getting the pleasure of being warm when she changed back. Usually, she had a stockpile of clothes just about under every nook and cranny within the thicket of the forest, but not this time.  

“I told you I’d be here.”

“Well, I wasn’t sure.. you’ve been staying up so late helping Garreth with his NEWTS - ‘suppose I didn’t think it was worth the trouble.”

“You are trouble, that much is true.” She briskly crossed the distance, leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on Amara’s forehead. “But so am I. And besides, you think too little of yourself - you are always worth my time.”

“Do you have a spare change of clothes?”

Nat smiled. “Of course I do.”

While she dug around in her knapsack, Mara tended to comb out the shrubbery and foliage that always seemed to get tangled in her hair come morning. It would be far more convenient to chop it off, but nothing about Amara was ever really all that convenient.

Just as she looked up to see what was taking Natsai so long, a large red sweater pelted her in the face.

“Wha — what was that for?” She guffawed. 

Instead of responding, Natsai rummaged for a spare pair of slacks and hurled them at her girlfriend again. But Amara managed to catch them this time and avoided being hit in the face. That didn’t stop her from getting smacked by a pair of woolen socks, however, which her girlfriend took great pleasure in laughing about.

She rolled her eyes, grumbling as she slipped each item on painstakingly slowly. Her body had slowly been adapting to the monthly change since her bite, but it didn’t mean the pain was any less tolerable. 

“Coming in hot!” Natty teasingly yelled and tossed her girlfriend a small green vial. This time, she caught it flawlessly, not even bothering to inspect the label before she popped the cork and gave it a whiff.

Professor Sharp's Wiggenweld was strong enough to ease her morning soreness completely. Of the few faculties that knew of her lycanthropy, he seemed to be the most casually helpful about it. 

She chugged it as usual, but as soon as she set the bottle aside, she nearly coughed it all up. Something about it was bitter and gamy and it took every nerve of resolve she had left not to empty her stomach.

“What’s the matter?” Natty dropped her teasing tone and rushed over. She set her hand on Mara’s back and rubbed small circles.

“My entire mouth tasted like rabbit. I don’t think the Wiggenweld flavor quite agreed with it.”

Natsai cringed. “Well, I know you are usually not all that hungry, but I could fetch us something to eat when we reach Hogsmeade.”

"I would really appreciate that," Mara said as she stood up and walked out of the alcove with her girlfriend.

-

“So, how do you manage sneaking out of the castle now that you’re head girl?” Amara asked after some time, when the thicket of the Forbidden Forest was long behind them. 

“If anything, it gives me more reason to.” 

Mara smirked, “Oh? It seems my bad habits are rubbing off on you more than you’d like to admit.”

Natty shot her an incredulous look. “Please. I have been caught up in trouble since the first day I got here.”

“Well, you better knock it off!” A hoarse laugh left the Slytherin as she spoke. “You’ll run me out of a job if you best me like that!”

“Well.. we both know you’re far too self-preserving to get caught in any serious trouble.” 

“It’s called being resourceful!” Amara protested lamely.

“Hm.. agree to disagree. I think it’s just you being a bit of a coward.”

Amara scoffed and turned her attention to the clear sky above them. No one was out. Not only was it a weekday, but it was far too chilly for anything other than the average commuters on their routes to work. 

After a bit, Mara spoke again. “I’m not a coward, per se. I just know when to leave right before the going gets tough.”

“So.. you’re an instigator?”

“Anne plans, I instigate, and Sebastian takes the fall. It’s a foolproof system.”

Natsai cackled, “You’re terrible! I cannot believe my girlfriend is such a fiend!”

“You knew what you were signing up for.” A cheeky grin overtook her pale face. “And you love me for it.”

Natty squeezed her hand firmly in response. “I certainly do.”

A long stretch of silence ensued. These mornings were always like this: slow, soft, and somewhat somber. And as she walked, the memories of her shift became all the clearer. The squeal of the rabbit as her canines sunk into it, the dribble of its blood down her tuft of fur. The watchful eyes of a nearby gazelle, never straying too far behind. 

Natty was far too good for her, she realized. There was no reason she had to come alongside her each full moon, but she always did so without complaint. Something about that made Amara’s heart ache. Were either of them prepared to do this for the rest of their lives? What happens when the nightly urges go beyond prey animals? What if she goes after people and neither of them can stop her?

She shuddered, and it had nothing to do with the cold.

“Amara?”

She snapped out of her trance. “Mhm?”

“Are you alright, my love?”

My love.

“Sorry, I was just thinking, that’s all.”

Natty gave her another squeeze and raised a brow as if to beckon her to continue.

“How do you manage it? Doing this with me?”

The other girls brows furrowed. “Doing what exactly?”

“This. This song and dance every few weeks. It’s exhausting for me, yes, but it can’t be enjoyable for you either. Why bother? Besides making sure I don’t hurt anyone, why do you put all the effort into this?”

Natsai’s next words were the simplest and rawest they could ever be. “Because I love you. That is why. And nothing you do, especially not this, could ever make me think otherwise.”

Amara opened her mouth to protest but was quickly cut off.

“Don’t you dare fight me on this. This is one argument you’ll have to accept you cannot win. I love you, and that is that.”

She could burst into a million tears right about now. But the thought of doing that out in public was mortifying. So instead, she quickly thumbed at the corner of her eyes and blinked away any premature ones.

“I love you too.”

And then Natsai smiled, and it was like the sun itself lit her up from within. Her brown eyes crinkled and in the clear light of the sun, they shone like drops of crystallized honey. It wasn’t the first time Natty had smiled at her like that (and Mara prayed it wouldn’t be the last), but it tugged at her heartstrings in ways nothing else could.

“Well then, I’m famished. I’ll treat us to whatever you’d like from the Three Broomsticks. How does that sound?”

“I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

[boxdstars]

thank you all so much for the very warm reception towards my first hand at writing for these wonderful characters!

i want to keep writing these little hc/drabbles but I don’t know what you guys would like to see! so this is your chance to sort of sound off and let me know what interests you most.

i will not write any nsfw content, i just don’t think i’d be good nor comfortable with it

i enjoy writing for the girls more than the guys, but a girls gotta get reach so you know i’ll include the seb/omi/garreth trifecta

any prompts are welcome, standard hc stuff - i have some ideas but i want to hear from y’all

also lmk if you’d like to be added to a tag list :)