don't hold back, i want to break free.

( andrew garfield | cis male | he/him ) — was that FRANK LONGBOTTOM passing through diagon alley? yes, i think so… people around them say they remind them of a cold anger running throughout your entire body, a melancholy feeling that never really goes away, flirting the line between danger and safety, picking up the pieces after a storm, which i suppose seems to fit that SLYTHERIN. they’re actually pretty LOYAL, BRAVE, and STUBBORN for a TWENTY-FOUR year old, but i wonder if it serves them well when working as an AUROR for the DMLE. have you heard that rumor has it that PUREBLOOD is an AGENT for the ORDER OF THE PHOENIX now ? i wouldn’t have guessed… but this is a conversation we should be having somewhere else.

@frvnklongbcttom​

August fell into the barstool at the end of the bar, motioning for the bartender. He ordered a large glass of ale. His shoulders hung low, exhausted from his first shift at the station. He could have gone home, but the weight of being alone was getting to him. He was used to being surrounded by people. So he had vowed to only be “home” when he had to sleep. He would make friends.

But right now he was flat out exhausted. 

The pint appeared before him, and he was thankful. He loved beer. Something he inherited from his father, surely. And not to the point of addiction, but he had definitely found the love of a cold brew to end the day.  A smile sparked across his face, as he lifted the glass, inhaling the hoppy scent, before taking a sip. 

Jesus.

It was….warm. Not appetizing at all. He set the glass down, pushing it forward, before burying his face in his hands. He had forgotten that unlike Americans, the English preferred ales at a warmer, cellar temp, then his usual ice cold. He dug his wand from his breast pocket, speaking in a hushed tone, “ Infrigido “, watching as frost appeared around the glass. “Ah…. thank god” he said, as he noted the temp as he lifted it to his lips. He took a  few sips, relishing in the refreshment of the cooled brew, before he felt the presence of someone near. 

He glanced to man a few stools down, similar in age for sure, but August could see this young man had seen more then he had for sure. August held up the glass, raising it in the direction of the stranger, saying “cheers bud, at least Monday is almost over, right?” offering a reassuring smile. 

frank had a long day, but then again, most mondays were long? he had been trying to figure out this one case with alice but they were all just going in circles by the end of it. he didn’t find himself at a pub on the first day of the week but he had needed a drink and didn’t feel like calling it quits and going home. he had been sipping on the one beer that he had gotten thirty minute ago already going cold, until he heard the presence of someone else next to him. 

he had looked over at the fellow, a polite smile but minding his business, his eyes on the case file that he was currently working on while he drank his beer, and when he had heard the spell, he had lifted his head ever so slightly at the other. “oh,” he eventually says, “you’re american,” there’s another smile on his face, some kind of recognition for the other man before he laughed. “culture shock for you, yeah?” he questions, closing the case now, just for the sake of confidentiality. 

“Follow  me.”  Tone  commanded,  barely  looking  over  Longbottom.  It  was  rather  indiscrete  in  the  busy  ministry  hall  with  murmurs  of  different  business.  In  one  ear,  he  tried  to  hear  them  all  -  what  was  for  lunch,  the  meeting  has  moved  to  the  second  basement  because  there  are  more  seats,  Augustin  was  to  be  fired  the  end  of  this  week.  Follow  that  one.  Not  now,  but  later.  There  were  only  two  Augustins  currently  working  in  the  ministry,  one  in  the  Wizengamot.  Strange. He  expected  Longbottom  to  have  heard  it  as  well.

He  hated  elevators,  even  when  they  just  moved  sideways.  But  he  could  hear  the  toe-heel  of  the  younger  auror  following  behind  him  and  didn’t  bother  to  turn  to  Frank  with  a  nod  until  they  had  reached  the  staircase.  It  was  quiet  there,  only  the  clash  of  hard  boots  taking  floors  and  floors  down.  “This  isn’t  for  what  yer  working  on.”  He  explained.  Alastor  wanted  to  keep  that  much  vague,  there  would  be  better  times  to  tell  the  boy  about  the  specifics.  But  he  had  somewhere  to  be  these  next  few  days,  somewhere  out  in  those  villages  that  needed  looking  into.  That  was  of  course  still  in  regards  to  something  on  level  nine  where  there  was  no  authority  within  the  DMLE.  An  involuntary  grunt  left  his  lips  as  he  picked  up  pace  down  the  stairs.  

“Pick  up  the  pace,  can’t  have  you  away  from  work  this  long.”  They  couldn’t  get  too  close,  there  was  only  so much  he  could  find  about  Unspeakable’s  schedules.  Splitting  that  work  would  be  better,  for  now. @frvnklongbcttom​ 

there was a certain tone that came with order of the phoenix, it wasn’t exactly identifiable but it was one that he had found when it came to certain things. frank had been someone that was on a safe house list, you didn’t have to ask him, you just needed to show up to his apartment and he had a secret place to store someone when it came down to it. when he sees moody approach him he assumes its something auror related but then he hears that certain tone. he casually puts down his normal workload, only grabbing one of the case files tha the had been working on to keep in his armpit as he follows the others. it had been a long time coming of the aurors being corrupt, who could truly trust who? but alastor had proven his worth and frank was loyal to the order regardless. 

“if you snap at me one more time i will turn back around,” he warns, this was always the issue with those in the higher ranks but frank had known his worth, his mother had married a death eater and he knew where to stand his ground, so he felt like it needed to be said regardless. when they found their way into the elevator frank had said nothing, just kept farther back from alastor--because while he might have respected the man, that didn’t mean he liked him completely. frank didn’t trust many so he kept himself neutral on the outside. 

     she’d   recently   returned   from   a   meeting,   one   involving   her   own   surname   in   the   yells   of   the   crowd.   she   didn’t   go   there   because   she   wanted   to,   but   because   she   had   to.   some   incident   involving   the   manhunt   resulted   in   some   pureblood   needing   a   healer,   so   andromeda   was   called   on   to   the   case.   her   flat   looked   a   bit   of   a   mess   as   she   was   in   the   middle   of   putting   away   her   kit   and   changing   out   of   the   blood   stained   clothes   when   the   knocking   came   through.   she   assumed   narcissa,   but   her   assuming   anything   was   always   going   to   be   her   downfall.   ❝   frank   ?   what’s   this   ?   ❞   she   could   barely   make   out   what   was   written   on   the   manilla   envelope   before   stepping   to   the   side   to   let   frank   in.   muscle   memory,   she   supposed.   ❝   you   sound   mad,   you   know.   ❞   but   of   course   he   was,   why   else   would   he   be   there   ?   she   couldn’t   recall   the   last   time   he   was   at   her   flat   or   the   last   time   they   could   even   still   call   each   other   friends.   it   was   an   odd   feeling,   especially   as   he   stood   only   a   few   feet   away   from   her.  

he wasn’t blind to what was happening, there had been many times where frank had just wanted to come to her doorstep like he had now and ask her how she was dealing with this--while they might have come from different walks of life when it came to family--he had known that it had meant everything for her--seeing regulus and eventually sirius’ face on the news had been a lot, this... this was different. she was linked to too many death eaters, even if it was only a few it had been worrying. he had known that a lot of her family leaned to a certain side, much like his step father and son had, (and even his own mother even if she was just desperate for any sort of stability and love), it had still hurt. he looks at her once before he stares straight down at the case that he had pulled, knowing that it was technically not in his right to even ask her, but he had stumbled across it, and no matter how many ties he had with the aurors, his family and the friends that had become his family, always came first. 

when he steps through her door he’s hit with a nostalgia that he hadn’t been ready for, there had been many nights when he had slept over on her couch because it was much easier than going back home to his modest little flat because despite it all, andromeda had been his best friend, they had gone through so many things together but it was different now, and he just had to get used to it. “i found something,” he starts off before shaking his head, “actually, someone had ratted you out when i found something.” he doesn’t say anything else other than him offering her the file of what the death eater waiting on trial for azkaban had said about andromea. 

Barty wasn’t really one for just ambling about, but he had left his office for a smoke, which had accidentally turned into a short walk around Diagon Alley to stretch his legs.  Sitting at a desk for hours at a time, was really taking a toll on his body, which was used to running both for fun and necessity. As he had been writing up the minutes of his father’s previous meeting, he had noticed his legs bouncing up and down under the table, which some coworkers had mistakenly thought was nervous energy, though if that whats they chose to believe, who was he to put them right. 

Eyes scanning the streets, it was just out of habit, he wasn’t really looking for anyone in particular, though his hues rested on a familiar face, just a few yards ahead. Barty wasn’t good with socialising, which in itself was odd considering that he had spent so many years watching others to try and learn about them, but when it came to him personally, he wasn’t so gifted.   Giving the other man a half smile and nod of recognition, he decided to take the few steps towards Frank.  Barty played many roles, Ministry worker, proud son, harmless guy from the office, but he had never taken up the role of Barty Crouch, the friendly guy from the Ministry.  

@frvnklongbcttom​

frank was here on a case, but it was going fairly slow, if he was being honest, and lunch time, which was his saving grace. he had found himself in diagon alley looking for a place to eat but ending up on a bench to smoke. it wasn’t too long after that he had seen a familiar face, and while frank wasn’t exactly the best at keeping friends, the one’s that had meant more to him were something he tried desperately to keep close. he had raised a hand to barty upon seeing him, finishing the rest of the cigarette before he planted it into the concrete and getting closer to the other, a small smile on his face. 

“looks like we’re both avoiding our responsibilities, aye?” he smirks a little, shaking his head, grabbing his cigarette box out of his coat pocket and offering one to the other before placing a new cigarette in his mouth. he had grabbed his wand to light, forgoing the need for food, if he had coffee, he had everything. he knows that kingsley would frown upon it but he wasn’t here to beret him anyway. 

maybe her smile was a bit wider than she liked and she couldn’t really stop the small happiness that came in at the sight of him – she was relieved in a way, she had always dreaded seeing him, as if the sight of him would re-tear her heart, but lately - things were different. it was a mix of a comfortable familiarity and the excitement of something  different, he was no longer the boy she knew - he was still in there, but he had grown in so many ways – “safe to say - your room looks like the aftermath of a storm as well?” 

“you might just give moody a run for his money” amazed was what she was as she took the case, eyes flitting over details that her eyes had truly reached it’s limit over and yet it wasn’t going away. “frank – this is great” she assured, soft smile at her lips as she patted him on the back, hesitant to touch and yet she wanted normalcy – maybe one day they would be back to their high fives or even a hug, but right now - this felt right. warmth spread through her – flush of her cheeks as the heat spread like wildfire - she had been joking, she knew very much she looked like a disaster, but with his authenticity – she couldn’t help but believe him, “thank you” she breathed out quietly, sneaking a glance as a smile stretched her lips. she would have stepped in – if he hadn’t just read her mind, “mr. longbottom – have you become a legilimens?” she wouldn’t find it hard to believe, that made more sense than accepting that after all this time - he still knew her better than anyone. 

there were a lot of things in frank’s life that were left unresolved, his family life was one of them. with the holidays coming up, mainly hannukah, it was like he was missing a piece of his father, and it had always brought him down, knowing that no matter what, he would still be gone, and that even if he wanted to talk to him- he couldn’t. but the only saving grace was being able to reconnect with alice in some way. even if it was for work, and even if they would only ever be was partners, there was still a deep love and trust there. “that’s a... fair observation.” he says before using his wand to open his door to let her have a peak of what it had looked like. “most of my space is used for cases unlike say normal things.... like clothes.” he did, indeed, bring another change of clothes, especially knowing that he was here with alice, he might have normally only brought the bare essentials but he had still wanted to be his best for her regardless. 

“let’s not tell moody that,” he gives a short chuckle, “that man is already, well, moody, enough as it is.” he shakes his head at his own pun, “while the regulus and sirius black case is a difficult one i just couldn’t help but think of all the others that we’re missing and this has been a hot spot of a lot unsolved missing people.” it was why he had joined the aurors in the first place, his own father had been someone who had cared for the cases that most wouldn’t even a second glance at the case, it was dear to his heart now. he lets the brief moment pass, feeling her hand on his back, he doesn’t mention it or draw attention to it, though there’s something that aches still, as two people who have known each other inside and out and now being only on very friendly-coworker terms. it was something he still needed to get used to after years of.... nothing. but it was better than not having anything at all. 

it was embarrassing how quickly she could make a mess of her room – the ballycastle cases spread across her bed as she paced - movement had always helped her think and maybe if she knew where to start she would be much more of a success at the moment, but clad in a pair of jeans that had been worn in and a jumper that nearly felt like a dress with how long it was – it was roomy and comfortable and very much the attire she’d collapse into the bed wearing. she hadn’t thought of stepping out let alone entertaining anything that didn’t involve the four walls she was surrounded by, but as she heard the knock – she didn’t bother with the questions of who. 

“hey –”small smile etched at her lips, she would be embarrassed that he had found her in her current state if she wasn’t sure he had seen worse, “a pint sounds like a terrible idea – lets do it” quick to grab her jacket – she didn’t have time to fuss over the mess she was, “do i look presentable?” deadpanned with a cock of her brow.

it was almost comical how their rooms mirrored each other, ever since they had gotten here all frank had done was spread out the entire case file on his bed and had tried to figure out all that he could before thinking, he had a partner to do this with now, and while his partner had might have been his ex, he knew that in every way, alice was much smarter than him. it was why he had knocked on her door in the first place even if he was anxious to do it, but they were partners now, and he had never had a partner that he had fully trusted in the way that he had trusted alice. 

FRANK LONGBOTTOM, HOME. 

when his dad died it had felt like his father had taken all the warmth of the house that he had grew up in with it. and he told himself that if he ever got a place on his own he would put some warmth back into it—but frank never made it a promise. he knows the weight that promises hold and he didn’t want to let himself down. it’s after a hard breakup that he rents his first flat, it’s close enough to the ministry and the rent is about as cheap as it can be, the warmth that his father gave the rooms doesn’t quite touch frank’s apartment but he hangs up his father’s pictures on the walls, he goes to muggle thrift stores and grabs the happiest, most well loved looking pieces and buys their books and stacks them up in hopes that one day he’ll get the courage to build that bookcase he bought ages ago. (frank doesn’t know why he doesn’t fully unpack everything, he’s been in this flat for years now). 

the kitchen may be small, it may sometimes get too dark because he hasn’t had the time to replace the lightbulb but there’s one big open window to let his plants, both muggle and magical to breathe. he still keeps the note his professor had sent all those years ago sitting next to his plants that said, if becoming an auror doesn’t work out then he would make an excellent herbologist. 

his bed is up against the window that overlooks his street, he likes keeping it open at night to listen to the nightlife, sometimes he dreams of whisking himself away somewhere and starting over again. he tries his best to romanticise the city he’s in because it will make him stay. most days you will find his cat looking out the window for frank to return home, life may not always breathe in every step you walk in this flat but there is something special about having a tiny creature to return home to. 

it’s not the flat of his dreams, but it’s seen more things than the manor that he grew up in did. it’s held frank together by it’s cracked foundation and still standing from the weight of all the grief that frank held. there used to be stories his mother would tell him about house magic, and if those stories his mother told were true, then it’s keeping itself together for frank when he so many times let himself down. he wants to believe there’s a reason why frank never really gets too cold in the winter, how when he wakes up in the morning in the summers the window is already open and blowing the morning cold air in, or how the oven will turn itself off if frank forgets to or how there’s always just enough water in the kettle for another cup of tea. 

it may not be the warmth that he misses, but it’s everything that frank needs, walls that are sturdy with paintings hanging, trinkets scattered across the floor and the empty spaces, tiny splashes of frank’s personality litter the walls and halls—it’s everything that frank needed at the time that he had rented it. 

location: ollivander’s wand shop. open to everyone.

Georgette loved working at the family shop but she wished she could sell the wands she secretly made once Garrick had left for the night. Alas, she couldn’t bring herself to go against his wishes. It was bad enough that she made them without his knowledge but selling them? There would be a paper trail. Oh well.

If nothing else she got to be around wands all day everyday. They made her feel like she was surrounded by magic every moment. She couldn’t imagine anywhere else giving her the same feeling. Hogwarts surely hadn’t.

Garrick had left on an errand, leaving the empty store to Georgette. She wasn’t ever one to sit behind the desk; she needed to get her hands dirty. She wandered down the aisles full of wands, running her fingers along the oddly shaped boxes, each with its own energy. It was the energy that filled her up and moved her. Georgette closed her eyes to let the magic engulf her, a large smile crossing her face.

Then the tinkling bell sounded. The smile fell, eyes ripped and she began walking toward the front asking in a voice like she cared, “Welcome to Ollivander’s. How can I help you?”

it had been a while since he had some free time to himself, it had been a while since he let himself have free time, but he was wandering around the streets trying to not let himself head back into the ministry and get to work on the ever growing cases of missing people. he had almost been forced to get his arse out of his desk and breathe in some fresh air. he walked over towards one particular shop, unsure of why he was really stepping in other than to try and catch up and see someone he knew and it was no surprise that georgette was currently running the shop. he had looked for her around the corner and raised his hand in a wave. 

alice hadn’t been sure what she had been expecting – perhaps an outburst or a the silence that came from crossing a line, anything but you’re right, her eyes widened slightly as she watched him, “i don’t want to be right –” and it was the truth, this was the last thing she would ever want to be right about, but watching him agree - it was a mixture of relief and heartbreak. her heart weeped for him – the boy who deserved a mother completely devoted to him as he was to her, one who actually saw that he had been holding it together for her and what cracked her wide open was - you protected me.

the second she had decided he was hers, that’s what she had done - he was hers to protect, even if it was from himself, and as much as she knew she  would kick herself for this later, she couldn’t help but scooting forward and wrapping her arounds him, her chin perched on his shoulder as she held him tightly, “i would do it again, but you never needed me - i’m proud of you for setting boundaries, i can’t imagine how hard it must have been, but it was the right thing to do” she assured softly, her grip never lightening as her she allowed herself this closeness, she knew she couldn’t do it again. 

“you don’t look the slightest bit sorry –” she chuckled, a grin stretching her lips as their was an air of normal to them, the tension she was radiating was slowly slipping away. “i’m not sure about that” it was not self-deprecating for once, no it was the truth that came with working with brilliant wixen, “the talent in this office is astounding –” curious as she  rolled herself back,  “have you really been that much of a grouch to work with?” she knew he could be a tad moody, but she had always lumped in his current moods in to different buckets, ones that have quick fixes, then again that was when they were dating – she would have to learn him all over again.

frank had grown up a lot over the past couple of years, maybe it was the war that helped progress everything, maybe it was the fact that cases were piling up of all those innocent lives lost that put things in perspective for him, but he was ready to be someone better, even if it all was just for himself. he might not have completely liked everything about himself but he wasn’t in the dark place that he used to be in when he broke up with alice. so seeing her again was like starting over in a way, ripping out the page that had caused so much hurt and starting over on the right foot. but his feelings for her—they still stayed the same—he would love alice hinal macmillan with his entire heart and soul and if that’s the only thing that didn’t change then he was fine with that. 

he’s surprised when he sees her crossing that invisible line, he had already crossed it a couple times before, but watching her wrap her arms around him he had briefly blanked, it had been a long time since he had last hugged alice, it had been a long time since he had felt the warmth of her embrace. physical touch had always been his love language, and alice’s comfort and embrace had always grounded him the most. it’s hard for him not to quickly react, to wrap his arms around her, his face buried in her neck, having to crouch down ever so slightly. there were years between them now, memories and experiences and things about the other that they would have to learn all over again—but this—this feeling—it had still stayed the same. “i missed you,” he says quietly, he knows that he should regret saying, just like he should regret pulling her closer, but he doesn’t. he did miss her, he had missed everything about her, there were still times when something funny would happen and he would look around for her but she wasn’t there. there were still times when he had saw something in a shop that made him think of her and he’d buy it knowing that he could never give it to her. when you know someone inside and out it’s hard to let go of it, but he would like to believe her coming back to his life happened for a reason, even if he never believed in any of that—he was starting to think so now—or maybe it was just some sick hope that something good could come out of this war.

Charity  slouched  in  the  doorframe,  a  little  sorrow  in  looking  over  Frank.  She  knew  his  eyes  hadn’t  always  looked  like  this,  but  she  couldn’t  draw  from  memory  what  they  had  been  like  before.  Goodness,  they  were  too  young  for  this.  And  that  was  really  the  whole  point.  “Exactly,  see.”  She  grinned,  “I  visit  and  you  get  fed.”  From  both  Alice  and  Emmeline,  Charity  knew  what  their  schedules  were  like  across  the  DMLE,  but  she  wasn’t  sure  that  anything  was  much  better  for  the  lot  up  at  school.  The  truth  was,  every  single  one  of  them  was  on  double  duty  of  some  sort.  “Pumpernickle,”  she  pondered,  perhaps  seeking  to  spark  joy  in  him  somewhere,  “actually  have  you  tried  chocolate  bread?  No  matter,  it’s  a  bakery  they’ll  have  enough.”  She  didn’t  particularly  care  for  her  own  suggestions,  but  it  was  enough  for  now.  Days  of  travel  were  behind  her,  sleeping  in  the  back  of  a  train  or  hiding  magic  from  a  temporary  muggle  roommate.  “Get  some  tea  or  coffee  in  you  too,  I  suppose?”  She  thought  that  simply taking  him  outside  for  something  not  work  related  would  help,  maybe.

“it seems like you are–” a chuckle slipped from her lips at the sound of bill’s laughter, the lolly no longer the object of his attention as his eyes set on frank, “i might just take you up on that –” she admitted softly, she couldn’t remember the last time she had stepped out without little bill and it hadn’t been something she’d been craving. if anything she hadn’t seemed ready, as much as her parents had countlessly offered - she knew how much they adored their grandson, but handing him off to them made her feel younger than she was. from the second she had heard his first wail - molly knew she could do this, she knew that arthur and her were going to be wonderful parents despite how young they were, it had been a choice she would make a hundred times over. leaning on a friend was less scary than leaning on her family –

“frank –” smile warm as she moved to give him a hug, careful of bill, “thank you” these days it didn’t take too much to get her emotional let alone the weepy side of things, overwhelming kindness was enough, and maybe it’s because he said exactly what she needed to hear, “he’s going to be a handful” she murmured fondly, lips pressing against bill’s forehead, fingers pushing away the curls he seemed to have inherited from her. “it won’t be too long” she promised, she had always spoken to their team lead, “if all goes well - two weeks from now is what i’m looking at and you should come over this friday, i’d love to test my cooking –” she teased, she had a limited audience and they were biased if anything.

frank had always wanted kids, there had been a time where he thought he would have them, he thinks briefly of alice now and the feeling tugs at his heart again. he used to daydream of what their kids would look like, thinking that maybe he could get some things right if he had one—he’d be better. he’d be the father that he missed so much. it’s bittersweet now, he pushes the thought away and smiles at bill tickling his little toes before looking back at molly. “he’s the best,” he says gently, and then talks directly to little boy, “we’re going to be best friends you know.” he laughs a little then, shaking his head.