Seven-forty-five, Edwin's home, Guilden Morden in Cambs

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"You found the apparition point alright in the dark?" It was absolutely tipping it down in London, and not much better where he lived. "Weather's pretty awful tonight."

As it was Tuesday, he'd been at work during the day, but had come home, taken a shower and smartened up to welcome Admete to his home. He'd given her instructions on a safe place to apparate to, given he lived in a Muggle community, though had no immediate neighbours.

He poured white wine into two glasses in the kitchen, which was open plan into a dining table set before patio windows overlooking the dark garden and the slate path that Admete had just ascended to the back door in the driving rain. Both were overlooking a set of low sofas with an eclectic mix of modern Muggle and some very telling ornaments and artefacts that proved Edwin was still very much a wizard.

Christmas cards were aligned neatly along the mantlepiece, and a wreath hung over the mirror above it, but other than that, there was no Christmas tree or other signs of a recent festivity.

"Olives?" He offered.

"Nothing too exotic for dinner, penne pollo do you?" Edwin asked, fussing about the kitchen, overjoyed to have a guest.

Admete's coat was already starting to dry. Fortunately, because it hadn't taken long for the new job to fray on her nerves. That she'd expected it to fray on said nerves hadn't helped.  "Found it fine. Rather soggy. Still better than the office." She'd only taken a few minutes to change before coming over.

The couch looked inviting, but well, soggy. "Food. Thank you. I'd love some." This was accompanied by a bit of an exhausted sigh and her shoulders slumped a little. "I  don't know how you do it. Got attacked by a flock of memos yesterday. Some prankster must think he's brilliant." There was just a bit of a grin there, annoying as it could be, she'd grown used to a bit of ribbing.

She looked about the room. Seemed a bit muggle, but comfortable. Comfortable was good. "I didn't get to thank you for the invitation yet, either. Apparently they try to chain you to your desk the minute the promotion goes through. Still getting used to all of it." She rubbed at a paper cut on her left hand. "This is nice. Makes my flat look like a disaster."

Edwin smile kindly, sliding a ramekin of olives towards her on the worktop with a cocktail stick poking out of it, and some bread.

"Won't be long,"

"I  don't know how you do it. Got attacked by a flock of memos yesterday. Some prankster must think he's brilliant."

"Ahh the memos. Yes, waiting to save them all up in the hope you'll just sign and not read in desperation to get yourself underway. I wouldn't put it past your auror chaps." Edwin chuckled, and busied himself with plates, soon turning out the pasta dish on both by hand.

"I didn't get to thank you for the invitation yet, either. Apparently they try to chain you to your desk the minute the promotion goes through. Still getting used to all of it. This is nice. Makes my flat look like a disaster."

"Thank you, and its no trouble. Glad to have you here. I wondered if it might be a suggestion too far, and you'd want to collapse at home with a bottle of wine to yourself." Edwin smiled kindly, lifting both plates, he gestured with a twist of his head to the dining table where two places were set out, with tealights beside the salt and pepper, and a bowl of parmesan cheese.

As he placed the plates down and went to pull a chair out for his friend, Edwin noticed her damp look from the rain. She must have been withholding using magic in respect of the Muggle surroundings. He slid his wand from the apron pocket, which hung over his trousers and open-necked shirt.

"Here," a gentle hot air charm would do the trick. "I'm not too fond of Muggle technology, its safe." There was an absence of any microwave, television or such in the room - the only thing were the lights, and Edwin had got quite handy at replacing bulbs as and when they gave up, at a faster rate than Muggles generally had to.
"Take a seat."

Apron removed, the two of them settled down to eat.
"So, tell me about your week so far, Department Head." He smirked, and raised his glass to her.

The olives and bread disappeared in a hurry. Food had rather fallen off the list of the priorities somewhere between meetings, paperwork, and someone pestering her about getting the office repainted. "Curled up with the wine last night. Not comfortable, and the conversation was dull. You don't do dull. Plus, I'll take the excuse to not have a meeting." The next night she could curl back up again and recover from Christmas.

But soon she was seated at the table, warm, dry, and with some actual idea of how muggley Edwin's house was. Not that she knew how to judge such things. Muggles were Luthas' business. But knowing she could do magic helped. A lot. Her mirroring of Edwin's gesture was a touch energetic. "Been busy. Shocked the family over Christmas, they're excited. Hauling everything over to the new office made me realize how much stuff I have. More in that office than the flat, these days."

The wine in her glass disappeared, perhaps, more swiftly than it should have. Seemed it'd been one of those weeks. "And almost everyone who hasn't yelled at me seems to be spoiling for it." Some bites of her food were followed by grateful, slightly muffled noises. "Seems I'm supposed to wave my wand-" her hand flicked about in pantomime, "and just fix everything. Oh, and I need to buy new clothes."

"Well, if this is all I have to do to avoid a meeting, or rather, replace one with you - I shall note in future." Edwin smiled, and let her talk.

"Quite the week!" Edwin smiled kindly, and refilled her glass. "New clothes, well, hopefully the pay rise will cover that, and I'm sure that's not the worst thing you have to do, hmm?" He added a little pepper to his dinner as he continued.

"As for waving your wand and fixing everything, well, that's what you have staff for. Not tried to pull rank yet? Its absolutely joyous to turn it round on them and get them to do the leg work. But, I understand, feels like a lot to deal with at first." He smiled politely, "I still get my hands dirty every now and then, but I love to put my Department to work so I can concentrate on the top level decision making."

Putting down the pepper after a quick shake, he offered some reassurance,
"They wouldn't have given you the job if you weren't up to it, Admete."

Oh, the raise. Admete kept forgetting about that, Merlin knew she could use, well, nothing. Her flat was small, true, but it was just her and the birds. No one else to leave extra stuff about or to bring in other expenses. She nodded at Edwin with her fork halfway to her mouth. "You're full of good points tonight. Figure I shouldn't show up for things in Auror red, is all. Might prompt the useless kind of shouting."

As opposed to the useful sort of shouting, which at least tended to inform her of what people actually wanted. Sometimes, it was just someone to shout at. Usually her. Which was a thought she distracted herself from by finishing that bite of delicious pasta before setting her fork down for a spell. "No rank pulling over anything important, at least. Bothered my cousin with it, same as when I made Senior Auror." Poor Blair. He'd live, of course, but it had been fun to toy with him.

And the pepper. That was a good idea. Admete was, when it came to food, the sort of simple person who didn't necessarily think of trying something until she'd seen someone else do it. So, just a sprinkle of the pepper to start. "Thanks. I know that, but it's still good to hear. Lets me sleep at night."

Edwin smiled kindly over the table again. Admete seemed to be slowing down, coming down from her stressful time, where she'd been rushing around. He knew exactly how she felt, only it was nice to see someone else there, and be able to help. Enough wine, he'd have plied her with a shoulder rub - but perhaps being a new fellow Department Head that might be too far...

"To a successful, fruitful term as Department Head." He toasted Admete, trying not to look at her chest again, "I wish you all the luck and patience a witch can contain." Lowering his glass he resumed eating.

"So what can Catastrophes help with, short term, and what long term thoughts have you had?" Edwin asked, "Other than mopping up after your aurors go too far...?" He smirked. In reality those were the times he liked, so he could get all irritated on MLE's backsides and knock a few aurors heads together and grumble to Tamis Raynor.

"I'm sure I can find a suitable desk job for Adon and Jonas..." He chuckled. "Keep them out of trouble."

Toasts and food were better than work, which was the main trouble with dinner meetings. Much easier to focus when you were both trapped in an office together and couldn't escape til matters got worked out. "Hoping to keep them out of going too far, so much as it's possible. Maybe some training, if you've got a list of top three annoying things Aurors do for me to reference."

Adon and Jonas. The traditional thorns in MAC's side, which didn't stop Admete's lips from curling into a bit of a disapproving frown. "Better lay off those two for a bit, after the situation for Dreogan. Lot of shot nerves there."  Mmm, the pasta was good, though. Sent the frown off her face after a couple more bites, and the smile returned shortly afterwards. "Don't want to have to deal with those nerves being stepped on." She'd already tried to rescue Jonas from MAC sorts this month. Didn't need too much of that.

One of the perks of being the Department Head was that she wouldn't have to deal with them directly. Plenty of other sorts to talk to, and be yelled at by, though. "And I've got a list of sorts to talk to before deciding too much. See what concerns they all have." So long as the yelling was kept to the productive sort. "So whatever ones you have, well, now's the time."

"Oh yes, quite, forgive me, I had meant it in general jest." Edwin replied to Admete's caution over Jonas and Adon.

He thought for a moment, chewing the pasta and contemplated his concerns.
"The concerns are nothing out of the ordinary. Thankfully we're not in the times of Death Eaters blowing up streets, but we're keen to reach your trainee aurors, and update training for your seniors on avoiding catastrophes, operating near Muggles. The new liaison office on five is a good resource," he winced a moment, "can be when they're up to strength anyhow." Edwin chased a bit of pasta around with his fork.

"What would be useful to improve is the flow of information from MLE to us over worrying individuals. If there's anyone we need to keep an eye on with you - those who prefer lobbing potions or those who prefer to arm harmless Muggle devices. Sometimes the heads-up can mean we know what we could be expecting on a call out." Capturing the pasta he lifted it to his mouth, giving Admete a chance to consider and respond.

"No harm done." Admete stared at one piece of wobbling pasta stuck on the end of her fork, then took the bite. "I know they can be rather the thorn in the side." No shortage of escalation there either, seemed like, but this wasn't the time to hit on it.

She nodded along with the concerns, a bit of a smile teasing around her mouth. "We can get the trainees taught about it, at least. Harder to get the older members, but I think I can find some motivation for them. Are those whatever they're called Muggle recording devices part of your issue?"

The fork clanked against the plate as she leaned back a little, seemingly struck by a thought. "My head of Improper Use of Magic was looking for a bit more of a profile, too. Might be better to start the liaison work there, sure there's plenty of shared trouble to deal with. And someone who seemed more open to it." She shot him an encouraging grin. "I don't think they'll all be as vulnerable to delicious pasta as I am."

Made her own cooking seem pretty inadequate in comparison.

"We can get the trainees taught about it, at least. Harder to get the older members, but I think I can find some motivation for them. Are those whatever they're called Muggle recording devices part of your issue?"

Edwin tilted his head slightly as he replied,
"They can be an issue, but the good news is that quite often if you cast a spell nearby they go on the blink anyhow. They're called video cameras or if they are the portable telephones, they tend to call them mobiles in this country. I heard from our Salem guests that the muggles over there also use the phrases cell phone on occasion." He informed Admete, pleased to be able to share the detail, though wondering part way through whether she was that bothered.

"My head of Improper Use of Magic was looking for a bit more of a profile, too. Might be better to start the liaison work there, sure there's plenty of shared trouble to deal with. And someone who seemed more open to it. I don't think they'll all be as vulnerable to delicious pasta as I am."

"Mordecai Hollingbury?" Edwin asked, corners of his mouth curling up, "We can certainly meet, but no, not over pasta. I reserve the right to dine only those I particularly enjoy the company of." He smirked.

"Nothing against Hollingbury, did you know we were the same year at Hogwarts?"

Admete gave a polite, attentive nod. Muggle words-and the related technology-weren't much use to her, but it didn't hurt either. Maybe it'd make certain comments from Luthas make more sense. Getting the Aurors (and the rest of Level 2) to avoid unnecessary complications with Level 3 wouldn't hurt either. "I don't think getting my Department to cast more spells would be a problem. Just have to let them know when to do it."

"We can certainly meet, but no, not over pasta. I reserve the right to dine only those I particularly enjoy the company of."

"Well, I'm honored. Think you'd have a line waiting at your door if you let too many people try your pasta." She cleaned off her plate a bit sadly. It was very good, far better than her usual lonely dinners.

Or the perilous experiments a certain Hitwizard occasionally tried to drag her into.

"Nothing against Hollingbury, did you know we were the same year at Hogwarts?"

"No, I didn't! Little before my time. Be good if you could speak to him, though. Expect he'll be much more amenable to working with you that certain other employees." She set her fork down next to her plate, finally. So far as inter-department relationships went, she could use all the help she could get.

"No, I didn't! Little before my time. Be good if you could speak to him, though. Expect he'll be much more amenable to working with you that certain other employees."

Edwin laughed,
"Alright, youngster." He retorted with good grace. "Yes, I'd be glad to speak to him. After the new year, I'll ask him to drop by. Or risk the trip to see him. I know how loved my face is on level two though." He winked across the table at Admete.

"Well, someone was hungry, do hope you left room for pudding, and if you're still hungry then, I have cheese." Topping up their glasses again with wine first, Edwin cleared the plates away. "If you rather let your first course down, do make yourself comfortable." The wizard inclined his head towards the inviting looking sofas before carrying the plates by hand into the kitchen.

"Has there been much movement of late on the likes of the corpus inversus investigation?" Edwin asked from the kitchen. "Bit of a mess with the bodies being found in Muggle tourist attractions. Although it keeps the troops busy, they were quite resource-consuming to clean up after."

"I think you'd confuse half the Auror office. Keeps them on their toes, though."  That seemed like a scene she might want to be on hand for, if she could find an excuse. "Try not to give any of them heart attacks."

"Pudding sounds good. Not sure I'll be up for the cheese, though. Think this is the best dinner I've had in months." She stayed in her seat, but sent Edwin a grateful look as he cleared the plates off. Family meals had gotten more and more frustrating over the years. Just because they didn't happen very often didn't mean she needed anyone prodding at her life that much.

She turned to follow his voice. "Haven't seen anything on it recently. Might just have not made it to the new desk yet. Even Senior Aurors didn't hear about everything." A short chuckle followed. Seemed like only a few days since she'd been well. Well, it because it had been. "Still not adjusted to all of it. See how long that takes. But I'll look into the case. Don't need more of that sort of mess." Or any mess, but that was far too much to hope for.

"Pudding sounds good. Not sure I'll be up for the cheese, though. Think this is the best dinner I've had in months." She went on to mention the case, and how they didn't need any more mess.

Edwin chuckled,
"Makes it sound like you've not been looking after yourself." He rinsed his hands off, leaving the plates in one side of the large stone sink, before drying them. "You really should someone do that for you, I'd be only too happy." He turned round, tea towel still in his hand, expression grinning enough to indicate it could be a joke, but with enough ambiguity to suggest it could equally be flirtation.

Brown was still sat in her seat and Edwin couldn't help but admire her at a distance.

"But if there wasn't any mess you'd have no need for my Department." He teased her, folding away the towel to dry before producing a cheesecake out of somewhere out of sight. A bit of a cheat, having not made it himself. He brought it over to the table, placing it down in the middle before returning for bowls and a jug of cream, just in case.

Sitting himself back down he grinned again,
"I admit I didn't make this course, there are limits to my abilities."