Owl to James Bond

[m-otherhen.livejournal.com]

Bond,

I'm in Ravenclaw. We need to meet. Ravenclaw common room, 1830 hours.

M

Comments

[m-otherhen.livejournal.com]

"For God's sake, somebody's got to be in charge," M snapped. "If I wanted to occupy a classroom and call myself Professor of Hocus-Pocus, what's to stop me? The only indication of discipline I've heard of so far is a mention of someone being given detention for sex in public -" She paused, and her eyes narrowed. "That wasn't you, was it?"

[blond-bondshell.livejournal.com]

"No, Ma'am," he said. For once, it hadn't been him. "And no, I don't believe anyone would stop you. It might even be encouraged."

[m-otherhen.livejournal.com]

She nodded. "Clarification. Exactly what effects did this prank cake have on you and-or the other students who indulged?"

[blond-bondshell.livejournal.com]

"The effects varied. For myself, it was extreme clumsiness." Was it his imagination, was the suit of armor glaring at him somehow? He'd have to ask if she'd gotten it from outside the Great Hall. "Another person had their hair turned blue."

[m-otherhen.livejournal.com]

"To your knowledge, nothing particularly dangerous, then," she mused. "Was the culprit ever caught? Did anyone even try to catch the culprit?"

[blond-bondshell.livejournal.com]

"I don't know," he admitted. "I wasn't in a position to find out."

[m-otherhen.livejournal.com]

M scowled. "And how did you manage not to kill or maim yourself during your - incapacitation?"

[blond-bondshell.livejournal.com]

"I had to have assistance in order to get from the Great Hall to my room. After that, I stayed there until the effects wore off." There was nothing about him that would suggest there was anything more to the story.

[m-otherhen.livejournal.com]

"Assistance. I see." Her eyes narrowed. "Assistance from whom?"

[blond-bondshell.livejournal.com]

"Ms. Lynd, who has proven to follow my instructions well in the past, and did so again." He met M's stare, and refused to look away.

[m-otherhen.livejournal.com]

M also refused to break eye contact, and allowed a long moment of silence to draw itself out.

"Now would be the time for you to give me a full accounting of all your interactions with Vesper Lynd since your arrival at Hogwarts," she said finally. "Including but not limited to, God help me, the graphic details."

[blond-bondshell.livejournal.com]

"Ms. Lynd is a person who has been brought to Hogwarts. As such, she's a valuable person to observe, especially since I can do so much more closely. Other than that, my interactions with Ms. Lynd have very little bearing on this assignment," he countered.

His drink had been forgotten in his hand, and he took a swallow. "I was at her sorting, and I spoke to her at the sexual education class and the Halloween party. My Lynd did help me when I was in need, but I was careful to keep all information away from her. I've taken her to Hogsmeade, and I'm sure somebody will provide you with news that my credit card was used recently in London to purchase a large amount of women's clothing. These all went to Ms. Lynd. There are no other details." Even graphic ones.

[m-otherhen.livejournal.com]

M's frown lines deepened.

"All right then. What have you observed about Ms. Lynd, in terms of your assignment at Hogwarts?"

[blond-bondshell.livejournal.com]

Poor M. One of these days he'd have to chip in for some Botox.

"That she doesn't understand why she was chosen, for one. There has been nothing here at Hogwarts to indicate to her that she is supposed to serve some sort of purpose. Some of the things she's said have been of interest,such as relating more to the wizards now that she is learning magic. My theory is that with no place else to go, she is much more willing to embrace their teachings and culture. I haven't been able to determine if other previously dead students share this mindset."

[m-otherhen.livejournal.com]

"Uh-huh. And the not screwing her, is that your idea or hers?"

[blond-bondshell.livejournal.com]

That finally rocked Bond's composure, and he almost shot a sharp retort back before he clamped down on his anger. He set his glass down on the bar, and laid his palms flat against the wood while he reigned his emotions back in.

"It has been a mutual decision," he said levelly.

[m-otherhen.livejournal.com]

M nodded, satisfied. A genuine reaction at last.

"Really. Are you quite sure you aren't being led around by your wanger? Because as I recall she's done it splendidly before."

[blond-bondshell.livejournal.com]

"This conversation is over," he said, abandoning his glass and heading for the door. He'd find away the armor if it tried to stop him, but as he wasn't a threat to M, it was unlikely.

[m-otherhen.livejournal.com]

"Bond." Her voice was sharp. "I don't care what you feel for or do with Vesper Lynd. The school's brought her back to life somehow? Mazel tov."

She brought a hand down hard on the bar. "But I do care that it's led you to lie to me repeatedly. Lie, omit, evade, call it what you like, it's there and I can't ignore it. Our friend White felt certain he could use Vesper to turn you. Can you tell me he's wrong?"

[blond-bondshell.livejournal.com]

"You're mistaken, M," he said sharply. "I have left nothing out that is the business of MI6. If you want information on Hogwarts, you can have it. You'll have even more once I get the bugs I brought back up and running."

"I'd told you that if she hadn't died, I was prepared to kill her myself. She lost her hold once I knew what was behind her." And she'd regained it when he'd been able to clear her name. "I can keep my personal life separated from my professional life. I'm here to the job, M. The rest doesn't belong in your report."

[m-otherhen.livejournal.com]

"I need to be able to trust you, James. Implicitly and explicitly. What does or doesn't go in the report doesn't signify."

M took a deep swallow of her water. "All right. For the present. Meanwhile, have you been able to glean any further insight from Vesper about her dealings with Quantum?"

[blond-bondshell.livejournal.com]

"As far as I can tell, her only intentional interactions with Quantum had been with Mr. White. She hasn't mentioned any meetings with him besides the compound. I'm not even sure if she was aware that he was at the plaza in Venice."

Bond went back to the bar and reclaimed his glass. "I felt that it would be best to inform her of Kabira's involvement. She seems to have suffered enough for that without laboring under the impression that he was still in danger."

[m-otherhen.livejournal.com]

M nodded. "Acceptable course of action. Informing me of it a bit sooner would have been the responsible thing to do...but then after all you're you."

She took another swallow of water. "Define 'seems to have suffered enough for that,' please. In what way? Other than dying, obviously. How did she take the news?"

[blond-bondshell.livejournal.com]

"It was a bit spur of the moment," he lied. He'd made up his mind during his brief solo visit to London. He'd let M rake him over the coals for it when she found out. "I didn't think the owl could fly that fast."

"I may have contributed to her suffering," Bond continued. "I wasn't expecting to see Ms. Lynd, and I said some things that I have come regret. She seems to be under the impression that if she was of a stronger constitution, certain events may not have happened," He knew that Vesper was comparing herself to him, which disturbed him. Bond knew himself not to be a good model when compassion or emotion were involved.

"She feels guilt and remorse for her actions. The news did not go over well."

[m-otherhen.livejournal.com]

She hooted. "Well, good God, Bond, of course it didn't go over well! Remember how you felt when you found out she'd played you, and imagine that feeling multiplied by about a thousand. It's called being human." Another sip of water. "What is Vesper's present attitude toward Quantum? How is she likely to react if she's approached again?"