assignment
Willow had no idea why she agreed to coming all the way to New York City. She could've stayed behind and performed at one of the most iconic stages in the world, but instead she skipped out on that just to do more work for the Ministry of magic, as if she didn't do enough for them before.
It began when her brother invited her to the Ministry late at night. This was never an uncommon occurrence. Willow's brother would like to finish his work first before doing anything else. Ever since Willow left her job as an Obliviator, they would see each other less often, so they would sometimes ask one another to come over so they could catch up. She eagerly waited outside his office door, checking her watch every now and then. By her side sat a pink box filled with books from Willow and her brother's childhood.
Willow's brother was the head of the Department of Magical Transportation, something he was very proud of, but something he was also very busy with. There were always important cases where they had to decide if a wizard would be banned from international travel or not.
Soon enough one of the large chocolate-colored doors leading to the office swung open and out walked Willow's brother, Haixue. His black hair was slick back as always with a single strand dangling above his nose. Willow's eyes lit up as he walked out. "Hey, Haixue," she said as she stood up and hugged him.
"Nice seeing you again, Willow." He embraced her back.
"I have a box of our old Chinese books that I found in Ma and Ba's attic. I thought you would probably like to have them for Yuyue." Willow picked up the box and handed it to Haixue.
"Oh, thanks," he started with a smile. They walked into his dimly lit office and sat down across from each other at his desk. "I wanted to ask you something." Willow fixed her posture and uncrossed her legs. Her brother has never asked much of her. This time it sounded serious. "Remember Newt Scamander? The Hufflepuff? If I can recall, you were good friends with him."
Willow perked up and chuckled, trying to hide her peaked interest. "Yes, I remember him. If you want any information on him, you should ask Theseus. I haven't heard from him in a decade." She flipped her brown curly hair back across her shoulder and rested her head on her hand, propped up on her knee. "Did he do something?"
Haixue sighed and started spinning in his share while tapping a finger on his desk. "He sort of got in trouble with MACUSA for violating section 3A, the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, and you know of the odd attacks in New York City? They're all tying back to him." He stopped moving abruptly and leaned closer to Willow, staring into her dark brown eyes. "MACUSA's summoning you to help in their Obliviator Department. Tina Goldstein specifically summoned you. She still works for MACUSA, right?"
Willow looked at her brother in disbelief. Wanting to yell at him, she let herself calm down before speaking. "Hai, I'm in a band and I have my own plans. What is Newt even doing in New York in the first place?" She said, still sounding irritated.
"It's only for a few days and MACUSA is in dire need of an extra Obliviator here and there and you were previously an Obliviator so the Ministry thought you were the perfect choice. You were friends with Tina before too, so it doesn't hurt to see two old friends again does it?"
Willow fell back into her chair with a sigh. New York was all the way across the Atlantic. She couldn't just drop everything and leave all of a sudden! "Bloody hell." She cursed and fell back into her chair, thinking. She hasn't seen Newt in years and suddenly she has to meet him so soon. It was all confusing. And why was Tina asking her to come? It's been years since they worked together.
She fidgeted with her hair for a bit before sitting back up. "Alright, I'll do it. How do I get there?"
"Oh thank goodness!" Haixue said in relief. "They were going to make me go if you didn't agree." He scrambled around the insides of the desk and pulled out a letter. The postcard on it showed that it was from MACUSA. "There's a portkey on the outskirts of London that can send you straight to Central Park. The coordinates are in this letter. Good luck, and thank you for the books. Yuyue would like them, I'm sure of it." Haixue smiled and handed the letter to his skeptical sister.
She eyed him up and down suspiciously. "Yeah, thanks." She grabbed the card and quickly walked out the door.
Willow quickly disapparated and in the blink of an eye ended up back in her empty white house on Lansdowne Crescent. She took off her brown trench coat and opened a white door leading to the basement. Once she ran down the stairs, the scenery completely changed. Dim orange lights were illuminating the wooden shelves and leather furniture as soft jazz music played in the background accompanied by the sound of a cello. It was soothing and a safe place for Willow.
"Jodie!" Willow called out as she rushed down the stairs.
The cello playing stopped. "Hey, you're back!" A girl with long curly red hair turned to look at her and put the cello bow down. "How'd it go? Did you ask Theseus when he was free?" Jodie laughed, twirling her hair around her finger.
Willow ignored her. "I'm leaving for a few days to America, you're the lead singer for the band for the time being, alright?" She pulled out a dusty suitcase from a cabinet and threw it on the red carpet in front of Jodie.
"What? Why?"
"Newt Scamander broke a big secrecy law and Ms. Tina Goldstein needs help dealing with him." Willow patted the dust off of her black pleated pants before opening it.
Jodie walked over and crossed her arms in disbelief. "You mean the guy who ghosted you for 10 years? That's unbelievable."
"I know." Willow let out a sarcastic laugh. "We have 3 shows next week, I should be back by the last show. The set list is in my guitar case. I hope this works." She stood up above the case and pointed her wand at it. "Capacious Extremis." The suitcase immediately expanded in depth. "Accio." She pointed her wand back at her guitar and it was summoned right into her hand. She set it in the suitcase gently. Jodie grabbed Willow's cello case and handed it to her. She put it in the suitcase before closing it and walking off to her room. Jodie quickly followed behind.
"Wait, what about the rest of the band? They're going to have to readjust and our sheet music would have to be fixed for next week's shows!"
"Good thing you wrote the majority of the bands' sheet music for next week's shows." Willow said, throwing different dresses, pants, shirts, and coats into the case.
"Rearranging isn't that easy, you would know!"
In a rush, Willow shut her suitcase, grabbed her credentials from her bedside drawer, and walked back out into the living room. "I trust you, Jodie. You got this. I have to get to the portkey. Good luck next week, love you!"
"Wait!"
With a swoop of air, Willow disapparated in the blink of an eye.
"Dammit!"