Looking for a way

James breathed a sigh of relief that she took his hand. He led her away from the the cafe and towards the Leaky Cauldron. "Where I'm taking you, you have to have someone like me with you otherwise you can't get in." He said smiling softly at her as he they waited until they were able to cross the street. He began leading them again towards the Leaky, he would occasionally block a bump when someone was walking by and weren't paying attention.

When they reached the Leaky he led her in and to a booth situated in the back of the pub. "Would you like something to drink Hadley?" He said looking down at her curiously. He reached up and brushed some hair out of her eyes to move it behind her ears. Then he reached up and touched her fingers which were cold, so he rubbed his hand over top of them to warm them back up. "You ok?" He asked looking at her curiously.

Was it a bad time to realize that James was a gentleman? Because Hadley noticed. Oh boy, did she notice. She didn't see how anyone couldn't. His description of the place was vague, but she supposed it would have been hard to explain it. Once she saw it, Hadley knew that she wouldn't have believed him even if he had tried to tell her about it. Men with astoundingly long beards sat drinking something foamy - a poor choice, she mused to herself - while people walked around in strange outfits. Weirder, even, than James's.

She allowed him to pick a spot in the back, hardly even aware of the frightened look on her face. That is, not until he reached forward and her expression changed to one of near wonder. He was being awfully nice to her for a stranger. Swallowing, she nodded when he asked if she wanted something, and dropped her gaze to their hands when he tried to spread some warmth through hers.

"Yes," Hadley replied finally. "I'm alright. Just... Trying to take it all in, I suppose." She sighed, shaking her head and then looked up at him again. Knowing he had to get the drinks she had agreed to, Hadley waited for him to pull away before raising that hand to her lips, unsure what to do with herself until James returned. Her eyes scanned the pub, her eyebrows pulling together. Heaven forbid someone tried to talk to her or caught her expression before James returned.

So Hadley turned back to look at the table, and let her forefinger and thumb twirl a section of her hair until he was ready to explain.

James saw her head nod but he also saw the look of fear on her face. He knew that this would be a bit much for her to take in but he wasn't going to lie to her about anything. "It's gonna be ok Hadley, nothing will happen to you as long as I am here." He said his lips near her ear. "Just breathe, I'll be back in a few moments with something for you to drink. Go ahead and sit down," He straightened up and walked back where they had come to get drinks. Approaching the bar the bartender gave him a raised eyebrow, shaking his head at him. The bartender inclined his and ask no questions about Hadley, ordering her a pumpkin juice as well as a water. He settled for a water then walked back to the table with them.

There was a man who was about to approach the table that James had left Hadley. Increasing his pace he made it there before the other setting the drinks on the table. Giving the man a look out of the corner of his eye the man quickly changed route and walked the other way. "Go ahead and sit down Hadley, it will be easier for you to take it in if your sitting." He said waiting for her to sit.

She didn't realize she wasn't actually following his suggestion until he returned and Hadley discovered the fact that she was still standing. It would be a lie to say that she didn't catch James's action as the stranger approached, but it would also be a lie to say that she had never experienced such things before. Hadley just didn't think about the potential of it very often.

James set the drinks down, catching her attention, and his words reminded her of how close he had been standing before he went off to pick them up, causing her cheeks to color again. But she sank into the booth, half wishing they had taken a table, or that he would sit on her side of the table. Perhaps it would prevent more strangers from walking over. But she didn't say anything about it, instead staring at the drinks he had put in front of her. The water made sense. But the other drink was some strange orange color and she wasn't sure what to make of it.

"Right," she began quietly, furrowing her eyebrows at the glass, her fingers reaching for it hesitantly. "So, I know... a little bit about what's happening. I mean, I spoke to someone in your current government building. And I understand now that I'm supposed to be ensuring that, um, my kind are safe and all. But how-...?" Her eyes flicked up to meet his as Hadley tilted her head to the side out of curiosity. "How did we not know about you? How have you been here but not... here?"

James waited for her to sit down then he did as well on the same side to prevent any intruders. He wanted to talk to her about everything since she was now involved with it. Seeing her staring at glasses, he chuckled softly knowing that she didn't know what was in it. "It's pumpkin juice, it's not bad if your used to it, I figured you would want something with a little bit of taste." James said smiling softly at her. He angled his body so that one leg was bent and on the seat of the booths bench they were sitting on.

"Ah you probably either talked to someone nearest the minister or you talked to Rivah." He said as he listened to her next question. "We have laws but ours are much more different than yours. We don't use magic in front of muggles unless it is a matter of life and death. Oh and muggle means non magic folk, also if a muggle should see magic we take away that memory of having ever seen it happen. We have been good at making sure that our places are hidden from view. We put spells over them so that when you do try to see something, to you it's something completely different." He took a drink of water and wondering if she would grasp all of this. "Oh and to do all of that we have wands like this one." He said pulled out his own wand for her to see. "Everyone's is different and we don't choose the wand either. It chooses us, no one knows why but it happens that way. You know the mythical creatures that you were told were not real. Well they actually are real goblins, unicorns, giants, and the like. Also you have to be careful about werewolves and vampires, not all of them are nice." He pulled out something from his pocket and held it out to her. "Since you do know about us now Hadley. Take this, when ever your in danger I'll come and make sure you stay safe. All you do with this is squeeze it in your palm and it will activate the one I have. I'll be able to come to you no matter what, do you have any more questions?"

"I- Yeah, Rivah. She's on some... lawmaking team or something, I think. Ran into her in the hall," Hadley put in, adjusting her posture so she could face him properly. As he spoke, she lifted up the glass of the so-called pumpkin juice to her lips. It wasn't until he mentioned wiping her memory that she coughed, nearly inhaling the liquid as she tried to recover. The drink itself wasn't actually that bad. It was the idea that it was even remotely possible that her memory could be altered that terrified her.

When she spoke again, her eyes had widened slightly, and her voice was down at a whisper. "James... Are you supposed to-? You're not going to do that to me, are you?" Hadley asked, backing up against the wall that made up one side of the booth. The glass was abandoned, and for the first time in her life, Hadley felt like crying in front of someone. How had her life ended up like this? It shouldn't have been possible. None of it should have been possible. It didn't make any sense. "Why would anyone do that to someone else?" she asked, her voice a bit louder as she shook her head at him.

James kept on, and Hadley wasn't sure if she trusted the object he tried to hand to her. She opened her palm, though, letting him set it there if he wanted to. "Why would I need this?" she asked reluctantly. "In case someone tries to wipe my memory?" It probably sounded harsh, but she couldn't even comprehend the level of scary that James was suggesting could happen to her.

James saw her fear of having her memory's wiped and said, "Hadley no one is going to wipe your memories. There are too many muggles who are starting to see everything in my world. Your safe, please believe me." He wanted her to believe him and was starting to kick himself for ever having said it. Seeing her hand outstretched he took her hand and pulled her to him. He put his hand on her cheek and said, "I won't let anyone harm you, I swear to you that no one will touch you. Please believe me Hadley," He whispered to her as he released his hold on her. He put the coin in her palm then closing her fingers over it.

"This is for you in case you need my help, no one is going to touch your memories." James said looking at her wanting her to believe him. "Your safe and protected, you will never have to worry about your safety." He brushed her hair back and tucked some behind her ear. He put his hands back on his side of the booth because he didn't want her to think he was trying anything.

They weren't going to do anything? An audible gasp of surprise escaped when he drew her towards him, her leg coming into contact with the one he had pulled up onto the booth seat. She felt an immediate, easy urge to believe him when he assured her of her safety. At the same time, though, she was confused by the fact that what must have been a large number of people were seeing the same things and yet nobody had bothered to say anything about it. Why had nobody said anything about it?

Hadley peeked up at him from beneath her lashes, her lips parted as she tried to take in his promise. Her eyes followed his hands once the one at her cheek was removed, her gaze dropping to her hand as he enclosed the item within her grasp. 

“James,” she replied slowly, dropping her free hand to his knee. “James, why me? If I get in too deep, if I do something wrong and don’t know it, why would you take responsibility for me? That doesn’t make any sense. You don’t even know me.”

The tension James was holding released when her hand touched his knee. Hearing her question he looked at her and went with truth with her. He had been telling the truth since he had been honest this far. "I don't want you to..." He realized that what he was gonna say wasn't at easy as it looked. "I don't want you to end up with no memories of anything that happened to you. It's not right, I don't think that we should have the power to do that but at the same time. It keeps you safe from the monsters of our world. Most of all I don't want you to not remember me." He voice was a whisper at the last words he spoke.

James put his hand over her hand that rested on his knee. "I don't want to lose you to them just because they have this idea of making people not remember anything they see. Some of the things in my world are amazing, not all of it is bad but not all of it is good either. I may not know you Hadley but I will protect you until my last breath." He said knowing what he was saying was a vow that made to her. He also knew that no matter what he would keep that promise to her.

What was she supposed to say to that? Hadley could hardly believe her ears when he suggested that he wouldn't want to lose her. Or, well, it sort of sounded that way. She didn't want to assume. They had only just met, after all! So all she could manage was, "Good," at a whisper that matched his. "Something tells me I'm not going to want to forget..."

Hadley had a moment of surprise when James finished his last sentence, and for about a second, she had the insane urge to kiss him. But that was just crazy. Instead, she set down the object he had handed her, putting it next to her glass, and lifted her hand so she could pass her thumb over his cheek.

"That's mental," she replied with a quiet laugh. "You know that, right? This whole thing is crazy." Hadley smiled and shook her head. "Thank you, James. I have to warn you, though. I may end up having more questions later."