Week Fifty

Unfogging the Future 🔮 When Magic and Muggle Collide 🔮 Complete
WEEK FIFTY
10/08/19 - 16/08/19

Diana wastes no time pushing the rest of those left in Relocation to apply for the new Department, at which point she finds herself very abruptly with only one person left to re-employ - herself. She faffs about for a week or so, working with Undersecretary Weasley to finally push through the paperwork on a retraining program to be used for any person in the future interested in changing Departments, and then she has to face the reality that, unlike the Initiative, her job really will be entirely gone by the end of the month.

The obvious first course of action is to go herself to the new Department, though if she's honest she isn't sure she really wants to work in Muggle Relations. She's not quite sure why just yet, but she's having dinner with Noah later and figures she'll be able to talk it through with him to see what exactly her hangups are. But until she can do that she supposes it's not the worst place to start looking for her own new vocation.

The eighth floor (and she's still getting used to the former Initiative being on a new floor) is rather chaotic when she steps out of the lift, but she's really not surprised. With how much needs to get done before the end of the month, the least of which is actually hiring on all the people they'll need to fill the Department, Diana would have been startled if there wasn't a hive of activity. In fact, she'd likely be worried.

She weaves through the rushing bodies, greeting the faces she knows, until she reaches Mrs. Morgan's office. Or, she supposes as she knocks on the door, it would be Department Head Morgan, now.

It takes a moment before she's called in, and Diana quickly slips through and closes the door behind her, trying to not let too much of the chaos escape into the Head's office. Mrs. Morgan's office is a bit more organized than the rest of the Department, but there are still traces of crunch time subtly hidden in the un-straightened piles of parchment left on chairs to the slightly crooked nameplate sitting front and center on the desk. Diana discretely straightens it as she sits down.

"Apologies if I'm interrupting." She says with a smile. "I happened to have a few minutes free and was hoping I could speak with you about the Department?"

Mrs. Morgan (Department Head Morgan, Diana will need to work on that if she does end up here) glances around at the files in front of her, before giving a small sigh and smiling. "I don't see why not. What specifically did you wish to speak about?"

Diana nods, deciding to try and keep this as quick as possible - she really should have set up a proper meeting, but she's gotten rather used to simply showing up places and being the most important person present. She's really going to miss that once Relocation is officially disbanded at the end of the month. "I was hoping you could briefly outline what the Department's organization is exactly, so I can begin considering if any of the Offices or divisions are ones I might be able to apply to work for come the end of the month."

Mrs- Department Head Morgan actually smiles at that. "Of course! Allow me to collect a few files - some of the Offices are being further divided by their future Heads so I don't want to accidentally leave anything out."

Diana nods, slightly amused at the enthusiasm. Obviously this is a part of the job Morgan enjoys, so Diana is feeling less badly about her unannounced arrival.

After a minute or so Morgan returns to the desk. "Right then, let's begin with the larger Offices first, and we can look at the specific specialized divisions from there, based on what you feel will best fit your interests." She says briskly. "There are five larger Offices: PR, obviously, headed by Miles, the Infrastructure Department which everyone keeps insisting on calling Transportation even though their focus is much broader than that - Mr. Bell is currently training a Terrence Boot to fill the role of Head there - the Political Cooperation Offices and the Law Office which we opted to keep separate - law enforcement will fall under Law while Political Cooperation will also handle international interests - and finally is the Social Support Offices, which is easily the largest of the group and currently doesn't have a primary Head. Kylee was offered the position but she's not signed on officially just yet." Mrs. Morgan huffs slightly. "I do hope she does - it's a big job and if she's leaving she needs to start training someone as soon as possible."

Diana is immediately curious. "What would Heading that Office entail, exactly?" She inquires, and Morgan looks tiredly amused.

"It has multiple divisions that Kylee is currently securing leaders for." She explains. "In addition to Medical Integration, Banking Interests, and Beasts and Beings Safety - which were all Kylee's focus this year - it also encompasses Education Reform. Only PR has more than one smaller division, and it only has two - Outreach and Social Media. The rest are either singular offices like Law and Infrastructure, or only has one like Political Cooperation. Though I do suppose over the next year Infrastructure will likely be undergoing some reorganization as Mr. Boot ascertains exactly what he plans to do." She muses with a wry smile.

Diana has to take a moment to absorb all that. It's... a lot, and honestly she's now impressed that the Department's main space isn't even more chaotic than what she had seen. Setting up all that in just a month is quite the herculean task. She chews her lower lip thoughtfully.

"So Medicine, the Bank, Education, and Beasts and Beings. I assume each of those would have their own head coordinator, which leaves me curious as to what the Head herself would be doing for Social Support." She finally says after a moment of pondering. "Would the coordinators not handle a bulk of the work?"

"Perahaps in the day-to-day." Morgan agrees, "But not on a larger scale. The Head of that Department would need to be at least somewhat familiar with each of the four areas so as to be able to effectively work with, direct, and hire on the people within those divisions. A jack-of-all-trades, if you would. It's actually not unlike what being a Department Head is like, which is why we need to ensure we get the best possible person for it."

While Diana does like the sound of being 'like a Department Head', she doesn't really have much knowledge of, or interest in, any of the four divisions within Social Support. She sighs. "I suppose I wouldn't fit too well there, then." She admits. "Perhaps Political Cooperation would be a better Office? I have worked with Rose and Landon quite a bit in the past year - speaking of, which of them will be heading the Office?"

Morgan shrugs. "They're still talking that through themselves. Noah Thompson is taking on the International Interests, so whichever of them doesn't become Head will likely just be a standard employee. Or they may decide to co-head - Aruna is actually working with the Junior Undersecretary to co-head Law, so that's certainly an option I could see them taking."

Morgan is clearly starting to get distracted trying to work this out, and Diana decides that she should probably take that as her cue to leave. "I'll think it over." She offers. "Is it alright if I speak with some of the Initiative members while I'm here? Maybe I can help them out and see if there's anywhere I feel most comfortable."

Morgan nods, still clearly a bit distracted. "That sounds like a plan. Everyone is quite busy though, so don't be insulted if you're at any point told you can't be of assistance." She adds, finally looking at Diana properly for the first time in several minutes.

Diana nods. "Of course." She confirms, rising from her seat and bidding the new Head farewell and good luck before exiting the room back into the bustle of the main office. She pauses after close the door behind her, observing the room thoughtfully to try and determine who seems least busy, as well as who she actually has any interest in speaking with. Talking to Morgan hadn't really changed her feelings about joining the Department, but perhaps talking to the newly minted Office Heads will be different?

Most people appear to be too occupied - either conducting interviews or training, Diana isn't sure which - but there are two people she spots sitting at one of the desks chatting only with each other.

She takes a deep breath - Political Cooperation is probably where she would want to work anyway, so she braces herself and walks over. Although she's been working well with Rose and Landon recently, she still hasn't addressed the issue of Rose and her crush, and it - and really at this point more-so her own reaction to it - is still bothering her. She doesn't show it anymore, had been actively working at that, but she knows Rose isn't stupid, and there's no way the younger woman hasn't registered that Diana acts a bit differently around her now.

The two Political Representatives glace up at her approach, and Rose gives her a bright smile that makes Diana feel a bit guilty. "Hey! What bring you to our humble new Department?" The Latina mix asks cheerfully.

Diana shrugs. "I'm attempting to determine what to do with myself now that Relocation is officially ending in a few weeks." She explains honestly. "And I thought here would be a good place to start."

"Are you interested in joining our Office?" Rose asks excitedly, causes Diana's unease to ramp up slightly though she shoves it down again. Rose is just friendly, and the woman knows Diana is in a relationship so this is just Rose being her usual amiable self. There's no reason to be uncomfortable.

"Perhaps. I admit I'm not sold on the idea of joining this Department yet, but I'm weighing all my options at the moment." She replies. "Department Head Morgan mentioned you two haven't yet decided how you're going to handle leading the Office."

Landon chuckles. "Hoping to grab it yourself?" He suggests, and Diana hums. Honestly that doesn't sound so bad - but after giving it a moment's thought she shakes her head.

"I could never recreate your experience from this past year - it would be a detriment to the Office to have me heading it." She decides, and Rose laughs aloud.

"But you considered it! I think that's probably the reason you're so hesitant about joining the Department, though. You're used to being in charge now, and that wouldn't happen here - you'd be working for one of us, or for the people being trained to take over for us." Rose observes, still grinning knowingly, and Diana blinks as she processes the suggestion.

"...I think you may have something, there." She admits after a moment, sheepish smiles drawing across her features. "I am used to being in charge, though I'm sure there are some areas in the Department I could still do well in. I've spent the last year managing some of the most irritable buffoons in the Ministry, surely that's a skill that could be of some worth when dealing with detractors."

Rose hums thoughtfully, but it's Landon who makes the next suggestion. "What about Outreach? That's the division of PR that deals directly with event organization like what we did with the meetups this year. They also are the ones working with rights groups - I know for a fact the current head of Squib Rights is difficult to deal with."

Diana wrinkles her nose. "Understatement of the century." She corrects. "Braylon Addams is one of the most unfortunately, self-righteously entitled brats I've ever had the displeasure of meeting. I'd say one of the biggest benefits of the increased push for cooperation and integration is that it's likely his elitist and exclusionist policies won't be able to survive in the new world order for very long, at least not without damaging his own cause. And at that point his own people will throw him out and every person he snubbed will be vindicated." She knows how petty she sounds, but she's been dealing with Addams and his codswallop for a year now - she feels fully justified in appreciating his inevitable downfall in the (hopefully near) future.

Rose laughs. "Alex is sick of him too - and that's despite having been real buddy-buddy early on last year." She grins. "Hey, maybe you should take over there instead! They've had magical heads before, and considering your experience you'd probably be pretty good at it, right?"

Landon is nodding along, and Diana once again needs a moment to process the idea, at which point she allows herself a rather mean grin.

"You know Rose, you might be on to something there." She starts to stand, and then hesitates. She still hasn't addressed the crush, but with Landon right here...

Something must give her away, because Landon suddenly stands. "If it's all the same to you two, I should probably go speak with Mrs. Morgan. Pleasure seeing you again Diana."

Diana watches him go, frowning slightly, then looks over at Rose to find the other woman is frowning as well, though rather sadly.

"Everything alright?" She checks, and Rose startles and then nods, flicking on a smile that's a little more subdued than usual.

"Yeah, we were just talking about the future and leadership of the Office before you came over - he's probably gone to talk to Mrs. Morgan about it. I guess you probably have places to be though, I don't want to keep you!" She adds quickly, but Diana shakes her head and settles back into her seat.

"Actually, I wanted to speak with you privately, if you have a moment?"

Rose frowns curiously nodding, and Diana takes a slow breath in order to give herself time to figure out what exactly she wants to say. What if Rose hasn't actually noticed Diana's discomfort? Diana doubts it, but she supposes Rose really could be as dense as many people assume her to be. Rose is still watching her though, so aware or not the cat is already halfway out of the bag anyway.

"You may have noticed I've been... somewhat uncertain around you for a while." She finally opens with, and to her surprise Rose actually looks relieved.

"Oh, is that what this is about? Don't worry about that - you found out I'm bi, right? I'm used to people being a bit uncomfortable with that, and it's not like you were a huge jerk about it. So yeah, no worries if that's what this is." She blinks and tilts her head. "Um, is that what this is?"

Diana can't help chuckling. "It is, actually. And I want to apologize, even if you do say it's alright. I pride myself on being nonjudgemental, specifically because I'm so often judged myself, and even then I was obviously uncomfortable around you. It's not alright, really, and I'm going to work to improve myself in that area."

Rose shrugs. "I mean, I'm used to it, too. People are going to react however they do, you know? If I let it bother me I'd never get anything done." She then smiles. "Thanks for apologizing, though. It's really rare that anyone does that, so yeah. Thanks."

Diana doesn't feel completely better, but knowing Rose isn't upset does lighten her load somewhat. She bids the woman farewell and heads back for the lift, running the conversation over in her head before pressing the button for one of the sub-basements. Rose had some very good insights today - and Diana thinks that they're well worth following up with.

The man at the Squib Rights desk looks up at her approach, and immediately sits straighter and begins fidgeting nervously when he realizes who she is. Diana attempts to give him a soothing smile, but that's never been her forte so she quickly drops it.

"Mr. Ganes, I would like to inquire into possible employment here at the Foundation." She says, figuring that he's going to be twitchy no matter what so there's no real benefit to trying to ease into this conversation.

Ganes blinks, wide-eyed and obviously confused as he tries to reconcile those words with his image of her. Diana waits, crossing her arms and leaning against the desk. Finally, the man speaks.

"Um... right now we only hire Squibs..." He says, and Diana scoffs.

"Are you really holding onto that stance? The Muggle Relations Department is hiring anyone who's interested, since positive social change needs to be pushed forward by every aspect of society, not just the ones who most obviously benefit from it. I would hope this year would have taught that to this Foundation, and more importantly to its leader." She says pointedly, and is pleasantly surprised when Ganes sighs and nods.

"You'd think. Between us, Addams was just supposed to be a temporary placeholder between Hazel and the next elected leader, but he started only hiring people sympathetic to his attitude and assumptions and it became impossible for those of us who stuck around to actually oust him when the time came for the proper vote. Since then most of the people from Hazel's run have quit in protest. Which obviously has only strengthened his grip."

Diana frowns It's definitely a tough situation - but she's always been rather good at tough situations. So she gives Ganes a grin.

"Well then, let me rephrase. I would like to inquire into a possible hostile takeover and reworking of this Foundation back into what it's actually supposed to be - a force for integration, tolerance, and social improvement."

Ganes glances nervously around for a moment, before taking a deep breath. "From anyone else I'd be terrified. But something tells me you could actually pull this off." Shaking his head, he offers her his hand. "Where do we start?"

Diana nearly laughs as she accepts the handshake. And just like that her final person is Relocated - it's time to start the next chapter of her life.

 

 

 

Landon and Celine have, since the opening of applications for the Muggle Relations Department, begun slowly becoming more open with their as-of-yet still unlabelled relationship. With Celine's coverage of the Initiative officially coming to an end and Landon not being connected to the PR Offices of the new Department, them seeing each other is now much less of a conflict of interest.

So they meet at a small but still somewhat popular diner for lunch one Tuesday, and Celine openly asks him a bit about the progress of the Initiative's shift over to a full time, permanent Department.

"I mean, as you'd probably expect it's pretty hectic right now." Landon laughs. It's admittedly still a little strange for him to be talking about this without twelve different layers of silencing and anti-eavesdropping spells woven around them, but such precautions have been dropped in the weeks since the ruling - they aren't hiding, anymore. "Rose and I are going through at least three or four dozen applications each day, and we're going to be starting interviews this Friday, with anyone hired on starting immediately. After that Rose will be taking on training and I'll keep conducting interviews until we have enough employees in the Office and it's one sub-division. So it's a lot to get done in only a month, as you can imagine!"

What he doesn't say, because for this sort of article it doesn't matter and also because he hasn't actually told Celine yet, is that Rose is taking on training because a couple days earlier he'd formally told Mrs. Morgan that Rose would be heading the Office on her own. Landon will of course be around to help, but... he's had other opportunities come up, and he's not sure yet how to talk to Celine about them, especially now that they're finally getting to explore their relationship away from the pressures and complications of, well, the entire past year.

Celine is smiling across from him, jotting down his response. "I can only imagine." She agrees. "Are you optimistic about it though? Considering there is only a month, some people may be worried about how effective the new Department really can be."

Landon shrugs. "I think that's something people will worry about no matter what, until they actually see the effects of the Department in action. I'm confident that under our Department Head, as well as the members of the Initiative staying on permanently, that the Department is going to be extremely successful in the future. I'd say people just need to be patient with us - change doesn't happen overnight, especially not long term positive change. Rome wasn't built in a day, as they say!"

They spend a few more minutes engaging in a 'formal' interview before Celine puts her notepad away and Landon waves down their waiter so they can put in their orders.

"Seriously though, off the record," Celine says once the teenager has left with their requests, "Are you worried about whether the Department will be able to succeed?"

Landon hums, taking a bit of time to genuinely think it through, though he rally doesn't need much. "Nope." He decides firmly. "I wasn't lying when I said that the team is more than capable of handling things - Rose has been working on her training program alongside Pup - he's running our Office's one sub-division - and it's honestly looking really solid. And there are honestly some really great candidates applying for our Office, too, so that's another confidence booster. I admit I can't really say who the other Offices are getting, but considering the sheer quantity of applications I feel relatively confident that at least some of them, statistically, are probably of pretty high quality too."

Celine laughs, and Landon feels something warm and fond blossom in his chest. Unfortunately it pops and is replaced by an uneasy guilt only moments later. He really needs to tell Celine about the Office Head situation. More importantly, they need to talk about his other opportunities.

At the same time, he doesn't want to ruin a wonderful afternoon out, so he ultimately bites his tongue and decides they'll talk about that later - for now he just wants to enjoy being with Celine and talking about life with her for the next few hours.

If Celine notices his momentary hesitance, she doesn't comment on it, just begins excitedly discussing the final Initiative article that she's currently putting the finishing touches on.

"Stanley is helping, obviously - he's gone back to talk to a few of the people we interviewed for my last major article." She explains excitedly, and then grins knowingly. "I think he's got a crush on Ebony Kiddell, personally - he was very excited to volunteer to go talk to our Diagon Alley contacts."

Landon chuckles. "Careful, you're starting to sound like Rose - always nosing around about who likes who." He teases, and she laughs.

"Considering Rose is an observant, clever young woman I'm taking that as a compliment, so thank you." She snipes back playfully. "But seriously, I really want this to be an amazing article - it might be my last one with the Telegraph." She says it coyly, and something stutters in Landon's chest. Well, this just got that much harder to talk about.

Celine doesn't frown, exactly, but he can tell she realizes he's less intrigued by her comment than she'd been expecting. "Landon? Is everything okay?" She asks slowly. "I'm not getting fired over us or anything - I mean, the Telegraph is honestly a bit desperate right now, so they can't really afford to fire one of their most consistent writers."

Landon sighs. Well, no getting out of it, then. "Actually, that's not what I was worried about, though I am glad to hear it." He gives her a quick smile that isn't returned, and he sighs. "Okay, right. You remember I mentioned that Rose is going to be doing the training?"

Celine nods slowly, eyes windows to a whirring mind, clearly trying to jump ahead and figure out what he's going to say.

"It's because I forfeited the Office Head position in the Department - Rose is going to be the sole Head for Political Cooperation." He explains in one breath, pushing on before Celine can comment. "And I've actually had other offers than I'm considering, which is why I pushed her to take on full control of the Office."

"Because you're leaning towards accepting those offers." Celine finishes for him, frowning. "Do I get to know what the offers are?"

"I mean, they're nothing concrete yet, and I may not even accept them in the end." Landon says, but he can tell she doesn't believe him - and he doesn't really believe himself, either. They're good offers, and more importantly- "They're in America."

And that's the crux of it. If he takes the job - which is essentially Rose's role but within MACUSA's version of the Muggle Relations Department - then he's leaving England. And if he leaves England, where does that leave him and Celine?

He honestly wants to ask her to come with him, but they've known each other less than a year, and in all that time they've not formally begun dating, nonetheless become serious enough that he feels comfortable asking her to leave her friends and family and country to move across the ocean for him. Especially not when the reason he wants to go back is because he misses his friends and family and country.

"That's..." Celine trails off, shakes her head, and then smiles at him. "That's awesome. I know you've been missing home - what sort of opportunities are they?"

He can tell she's not thrilled about the distance, but as ever she's nothing but supportive, and honestly it's making this entire thing harder.

He explains the job offer, and repeatedly emphasizes that he's not sure if he's actually going to accept it or not as he does.

"They have someone covering the role for the next six months anyway, so I don't have to make up my mind right now." He finishes. "So I'm spending at least a few more months here to help Rose settle in completely."

"It's good to see you trust her again." Celine says, smiling over at Landon to cover up the heavy weight resting in her chest. She'd been so excited to tell him about this being her final article for the Telegraph, but now she's hoping he won't push back towards that comment. For all he says he's still on the fence about the job in America, Celine honestly can't see him not taking it - she knows how much he misses it there.

They continue to chat over lunch, but the excited atmosphere between them has noticeably dimmed, and Celine can't help but feel somewhat responsible for it. If she'd just been unequivocally happy for him things would be fine, but she had to go and be selfish about it, even knowing how much going back to the States means for Landon.

She can't help it though - just that morning she'd sent off her application to join the new Muggle Relations Department, and while it wasn't her entire reason - or even a particularly prominent one - for applying, Celine had quietly been excited to get to spend more time with Landon, without the conflict of interest that's hounded them for the past year keeping her constantly on guard whenever they're together. She'd been excited to tell him about it too - but now if she brings it up it will feel manipulative. It's obvious that Landon is worried about her reaction to his wanting to leave, and she's determined not to be the reason he doesn't follow his heart.

It still , though. Here they're finally getting the chance to actually explore what they could be, without all the... well, everything in the last year, and now they don't even get that. Celine can't help feeling just a bit cheated, but it's not like she's going to completely uproot her life for a guy she really only just met - it wouldn't be fair to either of them to do that, especially when they're really only a maybe. Who knows if they even would work out? The atmosphere of the last year certainly doesn't provide a solid basis point for whether or not a romantic relationship between them would be viable in the long-term, after all.

So she supposes the best thing to do at this point is just enjoy the time they have left.

With that thought in mind she spends the rest of the afternoon focused on just enjoying their date, and for the most part it goes well. They talk a bit more about work - specifically Rose ("she really came through at the end there - she's willing to take risks, and she's likable to boot, I don't think she'll have any problems running things") - but generally steer clear of that topic entirely, instead talking about family, friends, and interesting goings on in their lives.

It makes Celine think that given a chance, they could work well together, but life and opportunity is not on their side. So it's with a bittersweet feeling that she agrees to another date when Landon drops her off at the Telegraph offices. She trudges inside, the mix of warmth and bitterness at war in her chest as she makes her way up the lift and back to her usual desk.

Stanley, shockingly, actually picks up on her funk. "Hey, date go badly?" He guesses, almost sounding concerned.

Celine shrugs, pulling out her laptop to start typing up Landon's interview. "No, it was fine. It was great." She sighs, and knows Stanley is giving her an unamused stare. "He's going back to the States in a few months, so it doesn't really matter how it went." She admits, looking up at her deskmate as she does. "We'll get a couple months, and then he's gone. And I'm not exactly going to pack up and move continents for one guy I think is fun - there are plenty of guys like that who don't require me to abandon everything I've ever known for a maybe."

Stanley winces sympathetically. "Sorry to hear it, you were so excited when you left." He hesitates, then adds, "Are you still going to try and work for Muggle Relations, then? If he's not going to be there-"

"Obviously I'm still going to work there if they'll have me." Celine cuts him off, a little annoyed by the implication. "You think I was planning to change my entire career path because I think a guy is cute and nice to talk to? Heck no, that's for Rom Com nonsense - I applied because I want the job. His working there would have been an incidental benefit, nothing more than that." She says firmly, and Stanley holds his hands up placatingly.

"Sorry, sorry, understood. I guess I'll just miss you - who know if the next shmuck they stick at this desk will actually be chill to talk to?" He grins at her, and she laughs and kicks at his chair slightly.

"You charmer. You can always apply too, you know. There's a bunch of different areas, you wouldn't even have to stay in media if you didn't want to."

Stanley makes a face. "Changing jobs? Right when I'm getting comfy in this one? Nah, not my style."

Celine just laughs at him again, already feeling a bit better. So things didn't work out exactly how she was hoping - so what? She still has her friends, and maybe a new job at the end of the month working with some of those friends to literally make the world a better place. It's disappointing, obviously, but Celine shouldn't focus on the negatives. So she spends the rest of the work day writing up her final article on the Initiative and chatting with Stanley until it's time to pack up and call it a day.

She walks home, because it's August and she wants to enjoy the few warm, clear days the city gets each year to their full potential. She also uses the time to think through everything she's done and discovered today, because for all her determination to focus on the positives, Celine is still invariably feeling a bit down about Landon leaving.

He had clearly felt bad about it, so obviously he's enjoyed these months together as well, no matter how strained. And since he has a cell and working knowledge of the internet now, a long-distance friendship is still certainly a possibility, even if Celine doesn't want to commit to a long-distance relationship. There are lots of options - she'd helped stop a world-ending war, she can handle a little heartbreak!

She almost laughs at her own internal monologue as she crosses the bridge, pausing for a minutes to gaze out over the water and drink it all in. The world is safe - moving towards tolerance, acceptance, and openness. And she really had helped with that, hadn't she? Her article with Stanley had been a turning point in the conversation, a chance for people uncomfortable with what the media and politicians were portraying to stand up and realize they weren't alone. It's something to be proud of.

She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes for a moment before turning and continuing across the bridge. Maybe things aren't working out exactly like she wanted.

But looking at how things have turned out? She thinks she's ready for whatever the universe throws at her next. After all, things have worked out well so far - whatever comes next is bound to be just as amazing a ride.

She can't wait to get started.

 

Author's Note: Bit of bittersweetness here, but goodbyes will always be that way 3 I will say that Diana's ending is possibly my favorite one? It's just very her, and also I hate Braylon Addams so I'm glad I got to give him his due comeuppance xD

 
Like this story? Give it an Upvote!
Thank you!
unqua911
AIGHT this is a bigger hassle/nightmare than expected so double update on Tuesday instead >~< Sorry guys, I know the last chapter was a cliffhanger!

Comments

You must be logged in to comment
luv_kero
2449 streak #1
Chapter 57: And now, for my last comment for UFF and the HoM trilogy...

First off, again, THANK YOU SO MUCH, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, for creating this series and bringing me so much joy for the past FOUR years!! Oh my gosh, it really just struck me how long I've been following your stories, and it simultaneously feels like a lifetime ago and just yesterday when I first found H:aH. I remember when you initially planned for it to just be about their first year, so I was really surprised when you later revealed that it would cover all seven years. But I'm VERY happy you did, because following Myr, Franziska, Ana, and Rajani throughout the entire Hogwarts experience was such a magical journey, pun not intended, and I still maintain that it is one of my absolute favorite fics on this site because of the beauty and struggles of adolescence that you captured in a universe that most of us wished we were part of. :')

And then came CtF, which was a wonderfully gut-wrenching story of its own, and such a perfect re-imagining of what was going on during the war outside of Harry's POV. I've probably said this before, but H:aH and CtF are now my canon. You tied everything together so seamlessly with the original series that I can't NOT see those tales as what actually happened. I've already talked endlessly about Evera, so I will just reiterate once again that I'm really happy she was able to leave such a substantial impact on the HoM trilogy, because I never could have imagined that when I first submitted her to H:aH four years ago. And seeing Drake get a brief spotlight in UFF was the cherry on top, because he's a good boy who is very near and dear to my heart as well, and I hope life has been good to him since CtF. :')

And now we come to the conclusion with UFF. It has been such a joy to follow the shenanigans of the Initiative this past year and witness their growth as they try to prevent the world from falling into chaos once more. You kept me on my toes, continually second-guessing who the Insider could be (since I did get spoiled on Fergus' role very early on HAHA :P), and you successfully surprised me with Finn's reveal. I even kept second-guessing THAT, because I know how much you love twists and turns. :') But wow, it was amazing seeing how you integrated characters from H:aH and CtF into UFF, and this truly became a fully-fleshed out world outside of the original canon. What a wonderful ending to a wonderful series and like Alex said, the future is looking bright and I know these characters will continue to live on in our hearts, even if their official stories have ended. You've truly brought them all to life and I will always look back on the HoM trilogy as some of my fondest AFF memories. <3

Although it's bittersweet that HoM is now over, I'm so glad that TLA is here and I'm ready for the next adventure!! And for any adventures that come after that, because I WILL be following your professional writing career and if there's ever a chance that we can collaborate professionally (mayhaps eventually adapting your work into animated medium with full VO cast??), I would be honored to help share your work with the rest of the world. Love you always, Dani!! <3
luv_kero
2449 streak #2
Chapter 57: Oh wow, Petra was the first to re-sign?? Like I mentioned in Miles and Veena's last POV, that bit of news was a surprise, considering everything that happened to her over the year!! But as she reflects over what she went through, you can really felt how much she's grown after her experience in the MII and I'm very glad that she was able to find so much fulfillment in her work, in spite of all of the stress and exhaustion. :) And I really appreciate that Petra hired on Rosemary because of her honesty about her emotions and how she would realistically address a stressful situation. More employers should value that, in my opinion, and I think Petra will be a wonderful leader. ^^ But yesss, the Archives was a HUGE turning point for Petra and I'm so happy she had that as her anchor, because there was a definite mindset change within her. And I didn't realize it until she laid it out, but Petra did contribute some key discoveries that were instrumental to Yurina's take-down!! She should definitely celebrate that amazing accomplishment and I see her going very far, like Audrey did, if she chooses to. :D But yeah, I think the sentiment of the year feeling very slow yet incredibly fast at the same time can be applied to how we all felt during 2020. OTL But at least the wizarding world has come to a happy conclusion in this chapter of history, hehe :')

KYLEE, MY DEAR. WOW, I CAN RELATE SO MUCH TO BEING INDECISIVE BECAUSE OF MULTIPLE CHOICES. OTL And I completely relate to knowing that regret will hang overhead if one of those choices is not taken. >___< BUT AHHHH, IT'S JUN!! OMG, I'VE MISSED HIM AND I HOPE HE'S BEEN OKAY THESE PAST TWO DECADES. I still think about Lucas and how his death affected people like Jun. =/ But YES, Jun will be an AMAZING Division Head for Medical Integration!! *o* And omg, YESSSSS, BAYLEE IS THE B&B HEAD!! LOVE THAT FOR HER!! <3 AND I'M DED AT HER DESCRIPTION OF INSTA INFLUENCERS, HAHAHA. TRUUUUTH!! :') And omg, Kylee, my lovely hardworking girl, PLEASE DON'T STACK ON MULTIPLE JOBS. TRUST ME. IT . (/cries at my 4 jobs bc life is too expensive now and ya girl's gotta survive somehow OTL) But awwww, love that Cadi is coming through like the dependable leader she is and I would love to have a supervisor like her who really cares about the people she works with. :') BUT LOOOOOL, TRUST BAYLEE TO CIRCLE BACK WITH THE LOVE TALK, HAHAHA. I would do the exact same, HEHEHE. >) BUT AWWWW, TRISTAN IS SUCH A SWEETHEART. HE'S SO NICE!! But ahhhh, even though I know this won't be covered, part of me is SO curious to know how Kylee and Tristan eventually pan out, LOOOOOL. :') Especially now that the threat of war is gone and Kylee is a lot more comfortable and confident with herself and the wizarding world!! BUT OMG, WYNITEG????? LITERALLY DID NOT EXPECT HER OF ALL PEOPLE TO SAVE THE DAY!!!!! BUT LOVE LOVE LOVE THAT EVERYTHING WORKED OUT AND KYLEE GETS TO PURSUE HER DREAM JOB NOW!!!!! WE LOVE THAT!!!!! SO PROUD OF HER <3

And Alex!! You've heard me say this a million times already, but he's had arguably THE BEST arc overall and I think he completely deserves the last POV in UFF. He was the last to join and who knows, maybe he'll be the last one to retire from the new department at this point, considering how young he is and how much time he has to really grown into his new role as Head!! The sky is the limit and I see him soaring to great heights after seeing how much he's grown this past year!! ^^ And omg, reading his section is making me really emotional because this is literally GOODBYE to so many integral characters. Q___Q Veena, Fergus, Desmond, Kylee, and Landon... Miles, Petra, Rose, Aruna, Alex... Omg, I just realized that exactly half of them are leaving and half of them are staying!! AND LOOOOL, THAT LAST BIT WITH ALLISON WAS V CUTE. I think Alex will definitely get to know some people outside of his division, even if he doesn't think he needs to work with them, HAHA. ;) But wow, what an end... And I hope the future remains very bright for all of our Initiative members, no matter what path they walk in the future. :)
luv_kero
2449 streak #3
Chapter 56: AGREED that speaking with politicians probably and I fully support Landon's decision to work behind-the-scenes, because we all know the dolts in the US government will be a NIGHTMARE to work with. OTL Especially because the orange is still in office at this point in the story. x___x My boy doesn't need to deal with him EVER. But anyway, I'm happy to see that Rose has really grown into her role!! ^^ Her development hasn't been as overt as some of the others, but she's definitely matured quite a bit this past year and I'm confident she'll continue soaring in the future!! :D And Landon makes a good point about their lack of previous experience before they joined the Initiative. :') As long as someone has potential, I think it won't be a problem to hire them on and train them. After all, if someone like Alex is able to reach the heights that he did within a year, I think most others will be able to rise to the occasion if given the chance. XD But dang, Rose has a pretty intense training program that I wasn't expecting. :P It's really good though and gives the new recruits a taste of what they'll most likely be doing in the future. Again, VERY cool to see how responsible she's become over the past year and I know Landon is very proud of her, hehe. ^^ But ahhhh, again, it's sad that the timing and distance didn't work out for Celine and Landon, but they will continue to thrive, no matter what!!

Ooh, yes, I knew Desmond wasn't going to stay past the first year. But yeah, I have no idea who will take over for him, so I'm very excited to see how he'll find a replacement. :O I'm kind of surprised that no one from the magical side has applied, but I guess they'd all rather be working at Hogwarts than the Ministry and I don't blame them for it. XD WE'D ALL RATHER BE AT HOGWARTS, HAHAHA. :') And omg, I never expected coffee to turn Desmond into a jittery, blunt person, LOOOOOL. You learn something new every day, LOLOLOL. :P But yaaaay, love that Estelle is becoming an investigator, because I think that really suits her and she'll hopefully be done with mindless paperwork forever now!! XD But oof, the Department of Education really isn't in great shape. OTL And there's no way a fresh Hogwarts grad can be head of the division, at least not without the experience of being on the Initiative, especially since Hogwarts is a very insular environment. >___< BUT OMG, WAIT, IT'S DEAN!! AHHHHHH, HE IS THE PERFECT PERSON TO TAKE OVER DESMOND'S POSITION!! I'M SO GLAD THAT WE GET TO CHECK IN WITH HIM AGAIN AFTER THE WAR AND I HOPE HE'S BEEN WELL THESE PAST TWO DECADES!! ^^ Makes sense that he would shift back to the Muggle world, considering what he went through during the war, but it that he got fired when magic was revealed. :( BUT IT WAS ACTUALLY A BLESSING IN DISGUISE, SINCE HE GETS TO WORK IN THE NEW DEPARTMENT NOW!! :D And we get the bonus Seamus cameo too, which is always welcome, hehe. ^^ But ahhhh, FINN was Yurina's consort!! Should've figured the insider was male, based off of that, and cast aside my brief suspicions on Clary when Estelle was investigating everything. ^^; But wow, I never would have imagined that Finn would fall in love with anyone, LOOOOL, but if it had to be anyone, I can see why Yurina would appeal to him, HAHA. ^^; (will reply to ur PM about the whole backstory after my convention this weekend!!) AND OMG, ESTELLE?????? WITH THE POWER MOVES????????? I WAS NOT EXPECTING A PROPOSAL BUT AHHHHHH, SO SO SO HAPPY FOR DESMOND AND ESTELLE!!!!!!!!!!! THEY SURVIVED THE ROUGH SEAS AND I HOPE IT'S SMOOTH SAILING FOR THEM FROM NOW ON!!!!!!!!!!!

(oh and this chapter is titled "Chapter Fifty-One" instead of "Week Fifty-One" if you wanted to fix it for uniformity ^^;)

omg one chp left i'm gonna CRY
i need to sleep rn bc i'm working at the convention tmrrw
and i wanna dedicate enough time to writing a proper comment for the last chp
and for writing a comment summing up all of my thoughts about HoM
SO PLS WAIT FOR ME AND JUST KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH, DANI <3
luv_kero
2449 streak #4
Chapter 55: Ooh, I never thought about where Diana would need to end up after all this, since I assumed Relocation would continue into the next year. But it just shows how effective she is at her job that she was able to find new positions and opportunities for everyone before the year was up. :D But ooh, I appreciate her asking Cadi how the new Department is being organized, since we now know how everyone's initial Initiative duties are being divided. But wow, hearing how Social Support is currently structured is very interesting and I wonder if that specific office will be further divided in the future as the department grows. :O And yay for Noah officially joining Muggle Relations!! He and Petra get to be in the department together!! x] But yeah, if Diana had actually been part of the Initiative this past year, I can definitely see her staying on to head an office. But there's no way she could now, even with her incredible work ethic and expertise, since she doesn't have any direct integration experience right now. >___< Anyway, I'm glad that Rose and Diana were able to clear everything up without too much fuss, and Rose's ability to read the room is very admirable. ^^ With that out of the way, I hope Rose and Diana can become good friends, because I think they have a lot in common that they could bond over!! :) AND YOOO, HECK YEAH LET'S GET BRAYLON OUSTED. LOVE THAT DIANA IS BASICALLY GONNA STAGE A COUP, HAHA. I'M HERE FOR IT!! :D

Yaaaay, Landon and Celine can finally date without any conflict of interest!! x] BUT OH MY, LANDON IS LEAVING?? I AM /VERY/ CURIOUS TO SEE WHY!! And ahhhhh, look at them being so happy and cute, but the uneasiness within him is making ME uneasy too. OTL AND NOOO, LOOK AT CELINE TRYING TO HINT THAT SHE'LL BE JOINING THE NEW DEPARTMENT. BUT LANDON WON'T BE THERE. THIS IS HIGHKEY BECOMING VERY SAD NOW AND I WASN'T EXPECTING THIS. AND OMG, MY BOY IS GOING BACK TO AMERICA. HE'S GOING HOME. I ALWAYS KNEW HE WOULD, BUT I WASN'T EXPECTING IT SO FAST!! BUT AHHH, SO HAPPY AND PROUD THAT HE'S GETTING AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE HE COMPLETELY DESERVES IT. BUT YEAH, WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE HIM AND CELINE?? Awwww, I feel so bad for Celine. :'( She was so excited to finally work with him and see him more. T^T THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY CUTE WORK COUPLE. ;~; It really seems like a right person, wrong time type of situation. OTL Even this past year, their dating was never truly confirmed because of the conflict of interest. The cards were always stacked against them. :( But I agree that it makes no sense for Celine to uproot her life for him, especially since she has this great opportunity to be part of the new department now and she wouldn't get this if she went to America with Landon. I'm really glad that she's prioritizing herself, because too often, people will throw away opportunities for someone else who ends up being insignificant overall. There will be other guys for her and there will be other girls for Landon!! And if it's meant to be, they'll eventually find their way back to each other in the future. :) SO GO LIVE YOUR LIVES, MY DEARS. AND BE HAPPY <3
luv_kero
2449 streak #5
Chapter 54: LOOOOL, I felt that when applicants just tossed their resumes into the mix for a chance at getting a job. :') Sometimes, you just gotta cast your net as wide as you possibly can in order to maximize the amount of opportunities you can get. ^^; But awww, it's still heartbreaking whenever Aruna doubts herself. T^T She's made great strides over the past year and I know she'll continue improving with more time, so I hope she can continue being kind to herself!! And Willow has that perfect balance of being firm yet understanding, which anyone would appreciate, even if they weren't in Aruna's position. But omg, AHHHHH, LAUREL, I'M SO SAD. I MISS HER SO MUCH. Q____Q Willow is such an incredibly strong woman, as are many from the HoM trilogy, and I love how honest she is about how she dealt with her grief. Everyone is unique in how they process the loss of a loved one; there is no right or wrong way and I appreciate how she emphasizes that for Aruna, especially since part of Aruna's battle this year is how self-conscious she feels about getting better because it possibly implies that she's "over" her ex. >___< But YAAAAAY, I really happy and proud that she was able to decide to stay with the new Department, because this really feels like a new beginning for her!! :D And yessss, love is ever-present for those who matter the most and I think Christopher would be really happy to know that Aruna is moving forward now. :)

YES, FERGUS, YOU ARE FREEEEEEEEE~ SOOOOO HAPPY FOR HIM and I hope no one bothers him for the rest of his life, because he deserves to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants, however he wants!! And oooh, the others will never know he was the mole?? :O It's probably better that they don't, considering no one needs the extra stress and drama that would ensue. :') And of course we get a full Percy scene, hehe. XD I was lowkey waiting to see when he would appear, since I know he's one of your favs!! And it's Mai again!! ^^ But ooh, very curious to see who Percy will recommend!! And omg, it's Lola!! WHAT A THROWBACK!! Love love love that she's the head of Broom Control!! What a dream for her!! AND WAIT, OMG, IS HE GETTING TERRY?? THIS IS AMAZING. NEVER WOULD HAVE GUESSED HE WOULD BE FERGUS' SUCCESSOR BUT I AM HERE FOR IT!! *o* And oooooh, so curious to find out what Kylee decides on doing!! She has an abundance of opportunities ahead of her, so I know she'll be okay in the end, no matter what ends up happening. :') But yeah, one month to set up an entire Department is a VERY tall order and thank goodness they have the Initiative to use as a base. >___< BUT WITH TERRY ON BOARD, THINGS WILL BE OKAY. AHHHH, LOVE HOW EVERYTHING IS COMING TOGETHER. And omg, I can just imagine Fergus with his dad smile. >o< THIS IS SO SWEET, I'M GONNA CRY.

I never imagined I would like Edward so much, but he's really come around these past few months and I'm just SO happy to see that his chapter with the Hunters/Initiative ends on a good note. :') AND AHHHHH, WHO KNEW EDWARD WOULD SIMP FOR SOMEONE WITH MAGIC?? THIS IS CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, HAHAHA. So glad we get to see Kevin and Jen one last time too, since they were awesome side characters and really strengthened Edward's sections whenever they appeared!! ^^ But oooh, I love this new angle they're taking with law enforcement and they do bring up a very good point!! Crime will unfortunately be a free-for-all, so both sides will need to be prepared for whatever craziness ensues. OTL AND AWWW, Edward's friendship with Mrs. Weston is up there on the list of top friendships in UFF!! ^^ And yeah, I don't blame the new greeter for being cautious. ^^; Considering how Finn and his network was working under everyone's noses for so long, the Ministry will want to be extra-vigilant about who goes in and out now. AND AHHHH, I'M SO HAPPY THE DEMELZA/EDWARD SHIP HAS SUCCESSFULLY SAILED!! I WAS ROOTING FOR THEM FOR SO LONG AND IT FEELS GOOD TO SEE THAT THINGS WILL PROBABLY WORK OUT FOR THEM!! *o* And yaaaay for Edward's trio getting everything approved in the end!! EVERYTHING IS COMING TOGETHER!! :D
luv_kero
2449 streak #6
Chapter 53: Oh man, I wonder what happened in America?? Who went into the court house?? :O But I totally get Veena's frustration. We just wanna hear that justice will be served!! But awww, I don't think Veena has really been this vulnerable until now and it hurts my heart to see her briefly doubt her involvement in the Initiative, because she really made some great strides this year!! She can be proud of what she's accomplished to make the world a safer, more inclusive place!! :) BUT YAAAAAY FOR THE VERDICT SAVING THE MAGICAL WORLD FROM BEING SHACKLED BY THE MUGGLE WORLD!! HOPEFULLY THIS WILL MEAN EVENTUAL EQUALITY FOR EVERYONE!! :D And omg, YURINA IS ARRESTED?!?! Is that what the interruption at the beginning was?? It feels kinda surreal that she's actually been caught. She's been at large for so long that it almost felt like she'd never actually face punishment, but here it is. She's finally going behind bars. Wow. Unless Fergus' small comment is indicative of something else?? >___< There's only a few chapters left, so probably not, LOOOOL. Probably just Fergus being a bit of a cynic, considering everything he went through?? >___> AND AHHH, AGAIN, YOU ALREADY KNOW I'M VERY EXCITED TO KNOW WHAT WENT DOWN AT THE GRAVEYARD. WHAT I WOULDN'T GIVE TO HAVE BEEN A FLY ON THE WRECKAGE WHEN THAT HAPPENED. And there we have it!! The official announcement that the Initiative is now a Department!! ^^ Very curious to see who stays and moves on!!

Omg, Miles being so emotional about Veena leaving is making ME emotional. T^T They were probably the best duo throughout and it's really sad to see their partnership come to an end. :'( BUT THE FRIENDSHIP WILL LAST FOREVER, SO AT LEAST WE HAVE THAT. And I'm actually very surprised that Petra is staying on for Social Media. :O I kinda expected her to move to the Archives, since she was so much more comfortable there, so I'm very curious as to why she's sticking with Social Media instead. And good on Alex for staying as Outreach!! He'll do phenomenally and hopefully the meet-ups can begin again!! :D YES, MILES AND VEENA DESERVE ALL THE THANKS!! THEY DID AMAZINGLY THIS PAST YEAR!! <3 AND AHHHHH, I WANNA GIVE MILES A HUG. And omg, so cool that Aidan will be part of the Department!! Didn't expect that either!! Very curious to see if anyone else we know will join!! Sounds like Celine will be a shoo-in. XD BUT AHHHHH, OMG, THIS IS MILES AND VEENA'S LAST POV?? I'M EMO NOW
luv_kero
2449 streak #7
Chapter 52: OH NO, ROSE, WHERE ARE YOU?? Oof, I would be just as stressed as Landon if I were him. OTL Anyway, aside from her absence, it sounds like the Initiative has a solid plan for defending their case and preventing war from taking place, which makes me really happy and proud of them!! ^^ Even with all of the crazy setbacks happening over the year, they've managed to collect a lot of useful info and turn it into viable tools for integration. :) Yikes, that Muggle's argument was harsh though. x___x Harsh, but not surprising, considering some of the rhetoric still going around nowadays in terms of minority groups. Going off-topic, but someone I know recently started referring to BIPOC as PGM (people of the global majority) and I'm incorporating that into my speech now, since it's a lot more positive when referring to people of color!! Anyway, back to UFF, but man, props to Landon for managing to rein in his frustration, because he was really pushing a bunch of buttons. >( BUT YESSSS, GO AUDREY!! WE STAN CAPABLE WOMEN WHO DESTROY THEIR OPPONENTS WITH FACTS AND LOGIC!!

Ooh, what a great idea to cross-reference records!! That never crossed my mind, but that's concrete evidence that magical people were more helpful than harmful in the grand scheme of things!! And omg, I wasn't expecting Farrah to make another appearance!! XD But yeah, that's a huge breakthrough and I'm glad they were able to collect some names before the hearing!! :D And omg, Yurina is completely exposed!! (just one small typo, but i think you meant to put yamaa instead of nakayashi for her mother's maiden name ^^;) But awwww, I feel so proud of Landon for going out there and killin' it like the charismatic lad he is!! :') And again, PRAISE AUDREY and everything she continues to accomplish!! Happy for Rose too, since I know this contribution will definitely help her feel more positively about herself and her work ethic!! And YAAAAAY for Cadi being a reliable anchor and bringing it home!! x] LOOOOL, I guess Prosecutor Roberts isn't as bad as he was initially portrayed. ^^; He actually seems kinda chill. But oof, I definitely will never go into politics or law. I don't think I have the patience or capacity for it, so props to those who do. >___>

But omg, this is the end of the main story?? AHHHHHH, WE'RE AT THE CONCLUSION. I'M NOT READY!!
luv_kero
2449 streak #8
Chapter 51: Oof, I feel really bad for Eloise. :'( She had her trust broken by several of the Archive workers and who knows how long they were feeding info to Finn. OTL And considering how protected the Archives are, that feeling of betrayal must be amplified even more. x___x But yeah, I really need to reread UFF to see the hints you left about Finn!! And I'm very interested in that backstory you have, because I definitely wanna understand his motives!! But UGH, the fact that so many disgusting men have supporters (Trump, Seungri, Kris Wu) after being exposed makes me lose so much faith in humanity. >( But that's neither here nor there. >___< Anyway, it's nice seeing that Petra and Alex are decently comfortable now. :') They've come a long way since the beginning of the Initiative and I know they're really stressed out now, but it's heartwarming to see them working well together to save the world!! ^^ And Alex's snark is a lot funnier now that he's generally mellowed out. :P But oof, I wonder who Eloise thought would be at the door. :O Again, it's very sad seeing her so stressed out and I hope she gets some well-deserved rest soon. >___<

But man, it's been awhile since I really thought about Zara. ^^; I wonder what she'd be like nowadays. Probably just as terrible, but with a lot more control given that she would've matured as an adult. Which would be terrifying for the wizarding world. She'd be VERY powerful if she managed to survive the war. x___x But OOOH, a restricted section!! Should've figured there'd be one. XD There's always a restricted/secret section when it comes to the wizarding world, HAHA. :P But ahhhhh, another gut-punching reminder of Saundra and her brave sacrifice for the world. ;~; At the very least, I think Petra definitely won't be going the same way. :') But YIKES, that transcript of Percy's interrogation must be awful. OTL BUT YAAAAY FOR PETRA GETTING A WIN!! THEY HAVE ANOTHER PIECE OF THE PUZZLE!! :D
luv_kero
2449 streak #9
Chapter 50: Gah, hopefully Celine's reputation as a reporter isn't permanently tarnished at the end of all of this. >___< She's been doing so much good for the integration as a whole and it's not like she's harming anyone with her articles. But ahhhh, I guess the end of July will determine the fate of the Initiative past the one-year mark. :O Crossing my fingers that they won't get shut down, especially since the initial first year is almost up, because there's still so much good that can come out of it!! But yes, completely echoing Jennifer's words and it's always nice to get confirmation that Edward's grown these past few months. :) But omg, wait, Finn actually ended up confessing?? Well, I guess that debunks my red herring theory. XP So then the big question is WHY????????? I never pegged Finn to be EVIL. He was anti-social in school and committed some petty crimes, but I thought that was just a by-product of his circumstances and that he had matured into an upstanding, capable citizen. OTL UNLESS this is some incredibly convoluted, BIG BRAIN WITH LOTS OF WRINKLE strategy on his end?? That he's actually a double agent and was only pretending to be on Yurina's side?? But I feel like Yurina would have measures in place to make sure the people she's working with are wholly on her side until she disposes of them. >___< So yeah, I guess we just gotta circle back to the original question of WHY did Finn turn traitor, because we won't be able to get any answers to any other questions without that key piece of info. >___>

Yikes, I feel like the Relocation people have definitely been very...volatile and I hope it's just because they're stressed out and worried over being unemployed for an indefinite period of time, and not because they're also bad people. OTL But omg, it's Nathan!!!!!!! Missed him lots and I'm glad we get to check in with him again!! I wonder if he's caught up with Gabe recently, since he's in town right now. XD But yeah, I don't blame Diana for feeling awkward around Rose still. Crushes from people you're not interested in, no matter the gender or preferences, is always uncomfortable to deal with. But at the very least, like she mentioned, Landon and Rose aren't fighting anymore so it's not as much of a minefield as it was before, LOOOOL. ^^; The re-training program sounds like a great idea though and I hope it works out, because that means the Initiative will be able to finish the rest of the year. :') And dang, I didn't realize that Remi was the one who influenced Hugo's life trajectory. Hope Remi's still doing okay nowadays, but I would guess he's pretty far removed from the politics of everything and is just focused on the monster hunting itself. :P But also, I don't know if I'm being unnecessarily suspicious of everyone and everything now, but maybe Hugo isn't everything he seems to be?? He worked very closely with Finn, so is he part of the network as well?? I hope he isn't, because I liked him from the little we knew, but that's also the problem. OTL We know next to nothing about him and with Diana noticing that he's carrying secrets, who knows what those secrets are. >___> For now, I'll believe that he's a good guy and just hope that the Initiative will be saved in the end, because everyone on the team has worked so hard this past year and I know they'll be crushed if it comes to a halt prematurely. ;~;
luv_kero
2449 streak #10
Chapter 49: Oh man, I completely forgot about the education aspect of the Initiative. ^^; It's been awhile since Desmond has worked with Shaun, so it's nice to hear that they're back on track again, even though the progress is still relatively slow. :') But YOOOOO, you know stuff is about to go down when Harry is involved, LOOOOOOL. And OOF, I guess it really is Finn?? Which, again, makes me so curious as to WHY he turned?? Unless he was always on the Dark Side?? And no one ever knew it?? Which is how he was able to aid Yurina for so many years?? IDK, I guess it technically isn't confirmed yet, since he's still in suspect status, but I'm just trying to wrap my head around this. :O I feel like Clary is in the clear, based off of her reaction to having to apprehend Finn, but I guess there is also the possibility that she's a brilliant actress. But I think that theory holds less water, LOOOOOL. But yeah, I really wonder if Finn is actually a red herring, because you would totally do that to us, LOLOLOL. :') But YIKES, okay, that bit about Finn being involved in Hui Ying's trial looks very bad for him and basically completely clears Clary. >___> And Desmond brings up a great point about the files that I was starting to consider. That person wouldn't have checked out those specific files about the ship graveyard at this time, especially knowing that Estelle was investigating them, unless they were actually trying to help, I think. It's too obvious otherwise. The other possibility ties back into Finn being a red herring. They checked out the files to purposely frame Finn and cover their tracks while everyone is distracted with the Hunters' leader being incriminated for being a traitor. OTL Gah, so many possibilities!! So curious to find out what the truth actually is!!

On a lighter note, LOVE that a lot of the people Celine and Stanley interviewed were the H:aH kiddos!! :D What an influential class, HAHA. Basically on par with Harry's year. :P But omg, noooo, not Andromeda. Q____Q I am reminded again of the horrible tragedies of Ted and Nymphadora's deaths, and I can't imagine how depressingly lonely the past twenty years have been for Andromeda. :'( She did have little Teddy to raise, so at least she wasn't completely alone. But still, her whole world completely changed because of the war and my heart hurts so much for her losses. ;~; To go back to the happier news, WE FINALLY GET SOME SPEAKING LINES FROM MYR!! :D I MISSED OUR GRYFF and I'm so happy he's living a life filled with so many contentment!! ^^ That's the dream!! And LOOOOOL, I'm ded at Hazel being this angsty teen. XD If the 2nd gen story collection actually happens, I feel like Hazel might end up being a favorite, just because I feel like she brings a lot of humor to the table with her angsty-ness. :P AND I'M EVEN MORE DED AT STANELY IMMEDIATELY CRUSHING ON EBONY, HAHAHAHA. And LOOOOOL, if Emery were my dad, he would be riddled with worry over my non-existent love life, considering I'm several years older than Ebony. ^^; And don't worry, Celine. You can trust Gabe!! He would never turn to the Dark Side or use his abilities for evil!! I firmly believe that!! :D

Also, OMG, Dani, I hope you're safe????????????? That is absolutely TERRIFYING and your reasons for not updating over the weekend are completely justified!! Not that they're ever not justified, because you're honestly allowed to update whenever you want (and we're incredibly lucky that you do update so frequently with such high-quality chapters), but this definitely warrants a break between updates and I'm just glad that it sounds like the window took the brunt of the damage. >___> Is there a reason why your neighbor shot the window?? D: Anyway, regardless of whatever the motivation was, I hope you're safe and that things are resolved soon!! Sending all of my love and support to you!! <3