After finding the file on Monday about the executed dragon, Griffon had pulled all of the recent files from the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. He felt like an idiot for not noticing- but with them all laid out in front of him, the numbers didn't lie. In the last few months the number of executions had more than doubled. And most of those executions were questionable at best, and downright wrong at the worst. How he had missed it, Griffon wasn't sure, but he definitely needed to start paying closer attention to paperwork that came through...

Then again, many of the ones files he hadn't even signed off on, which made him wonder how they had found their way into his filing cabinets to begin with. Something fishy was going on, and it didn't sit right with him.

Griffon had wanted to handle this himself, he was in charge and he could do it- but facts were facts, laws were being broken and if he went into this like a rampaging bull, nothing was going to be accomplished or fixed. Whoever was behind whatever was going on would get smarter and lay low, and his concerns would never be addressed or resolved.

... Which meant that Griffon Manley had to ask for help. Not only did he have to ask for help, but he was going to have to ask for help from Level Two. The RCMC and the DMLE had never really gotten along. Their paths crossed quite often, and both seemed to think they had total jurisdiction. In this matter, Griffon would most definitely stay involved and not let Level Two take over. This was something that mattered to him. Innocent creatures were being harmed, and it was his job to see to it that didn't happen and that it stopped. He just didn't know how. Or if there was really anything he could do about it.

Griffon had sent a note up to Tamis Raynor- head of the aurors- to ask her to drop by his office. He would like to see her insight on the matter, and see what steps she thought he should take next. Tamis was probably better at handling this gingerly- doing things gingerly was not Griffon's usual mode of operation.

He'd left his door open so that he could swoop her inside and close it quickly- hopefully without the entirety of Level Four seeing her come around. He didn't want to answer too many questions too soon. Jumping the gun would be bad, after all.

When he saw the petite woman arrive, he quickly stepped outside, offering her an uncharacteristically bright smile and ushered her into his office. "Good afternoon, Auror Raynor!" he greeted- far too jovially considering their usual interactions. "So glad you could find time to come by. Please, sit down! Can I get you anything? Coffee, tea, water? Something stronger?"

The Napoleonic powermonger known as Tamis Raynor rarely set foot on Level Four. Not for fear or unease  – at least, not hers. The lack of universal love for the Auror Office was not clandestine. And the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures had less motivation to be cordial than most. If one of the Head Aurors petite boots departed the lift it meant Trouble. Usually for the Werewolf Capture Unit or, more specifically, Kirby Bagnold. And their… lack of enthusiasm in promotion interdepartmental communication on shared investigations. More often than not she called him up to her Office.   

The last complaint she had received had been something about festive wrapping paper. And its tendency to multiple. She had claimed ignorance.

One thing was certain. Tamis Raynor rarely, if ever, responded to a summons unless it came directly from the hand of the Minister of Magic. Few even attempted one. So when that slip of parchment arrived on her desk in Griffon Manley’s handwriting it was met with an arched eyebrow and cool curiosity. Interaction with the Head of Level Four was not uncommon, however it was rarely for a willingness to converse. Not that memo was particularly forthcoming. He was either really desperate or… no, he had to just be really desperate.

It was the intrigue more than anything else that decided her.

Several heads popped up over the top of cubicles as she passed, the signature Auror red presenting like a goblin among gnomes. The spectacle did not last long. No sooner had she reached the Department Head’s office that she was whisked inside with enough joviality and concealed urgency that the door shut tight on her heels before her hand had twitched in half-consideration toward the wand at her hip. Her boots dug into rich soil, the aroma of dewy grass assuaged her nostrils, and she was positive a squirrel jumped over her head to the next tree as she found herself in a room that looked like it had been set up in the middle of the Forbidden Forest rather than the governmental hub of the Wizarding United Kingdom.

Yet her attention remained locked on the taller man, chin tilted up just so to better observe him and grey eyes, though not narrowed in suspicion, giving the distinct impression that they wanted to. After a long careful moment she responded to his beaming visage with an uncharacteristic upturn of her own lips. “An explanation, perhaps.” She replied to his offer, crossing her arms.  “No sugar.”

"You get right down to business, don't you?" Griffon asked. "Whatever happened to pleasantries?" he continued, as he fetched her a cup of coffee- with no sugar- and made a cup for himself. If he remembered correctly, everyone on level two was addicted to the stuff. "Why hello Griffon, how are you? I'm fine, thanks for asking Auror Raynor. Yourself? Oh, you know, the usual, kicking ass and taking names. Sounds splendid!" He placed the cup in front of the head auror, and then went behind his desk, shooing a squirrel from his seat before plopping down. "There, I took care of it for you! You're so considerate to ask how I've been."

Jokes might not the best way to get this meeting off to a good start, but Griffon didn't like having to ask for help and a bit levity- hell, a bit of effort even- from the petite woman across his desk would make all the difference in the world. Leave it to Level Two to purposefully make any type of meeting a pain in his ass.

"But if you'd prefer we skip the small talk and get right down to the root of things, I think I might have stumbled across a situation which warrants a bit of aid from level two. Then again, I'm not law enforcement so I might be jumping the gun a bit here." Griffon sipped his coffee, and leaned forward across his desk.

"I'm sure I don't need to tell you this, but I need this confidential- between me and you- until I decide on the best course of action to take here. And I need to make sure that if I get help from your department you're not going to boot me out of any kind of investigatory work. I might need your help, but Level Four is still my level to run and it's still my job to make sure that I'm in the know for everything that goes on around here. That includes any suspected nefarious activities which may- or may not- be afoot."

Griffon leaned back in his chair again, giving her a level stare. "You promise me that we can work together like adults, and that you'll let me stay in the loop and help as much as I can, then I'll tell you why I dragged you down from your cozy little corner with Radley to sit in my forest."