The office had finally been cleaned out, messed up again, redecorated, and left to her. The whole process had subjected Admete to various theories of amateur interior design, though it hadn't quite gotten to them yelling at her about it. And now it was done, everything closed up, put away, dusted, and evaluated with a critical eye.

She did like the paintings. They managed to keep the whole thing traditional without being stodgy. She wasn't that old, yet. Younger than most of the Wizengamot members she'd been dragged in front of, at the least. No matter what her mother and grandmother badgered her about. Something which the promotion had only granted her a short space from. Afterwards they'd head to pointing out that she wasn't getting hexes thrown at her on a regular basis anymore, and there things would go.

But those weren't needed for this meeting, and so she tried to push them aside. She wished to talk to the other Department Heads, certainly, but Level 2 needed to be a coherent entity as well. Needed to stick together, even if the process involved a lot of yelling. Always yelling.

And thus she'd invited the head of the Improper Use of Magic Office to come check in with her. The tea was already started, and a chair had been pulled up in an inviting fashion on the other side of her desk.

The name of the new Head was not familiar to Mordecai, but then again he had spent most of his time in the office not knowing half the Auror force to begin with. Aurors didn't need to refer to the Improper Use of Magic and vice versa. He'd heard that the new Head was a former Auror; although he hadn't met her before he was already steeling himself for the usual attitudes he noticed Aurors tended to have.

Regardless, he hadn't remembered the last time he'd spoken to the Head. The Improper Use of Magic Office had faded into the background after the war; Mordecai was not complaining, but it had the side effect of all the employees involved no longer being much of a focus in social situations either.

So it was only natural that Mordecai was looking forward to this meeting. He was still reworking the Office, and by now he couldn't deny that he needed help. Even now he would find the occasional Muggle Registration Commission pamphlet lying around in the dusty corners. Mordecai found catharsis by incinerating it on the spot with extreme prejudice, but the memories still haunted him in his sleep.

He headed down the corridor, shaking his head to clear his mind. It would not bode well if he had a breakdown during this meeting. He couldn't remember when he last since had a breakdown, but that wasn't necessarily a good sign.

Upon reaching the door of the Head's office, Mordecai took a moment to smooth out the lapels of his waistcoat and check his watch. All in good time. He took a deep breath, his mind partially shielding itself as he always did in meetings with people he'd never met before, and knocked on the door before opening it.

"Mordecai Hollingbury, Head of Improper Use of Magic," he introduced himself to the woman sitting at the desk previously occupied by Rosier. Years of working in the Ministry had ensured it as a habit, even if the other person knew who he was. His eyes wandered around the room quickly, taking in the new changes and the furniture arrangement. "You wanted to see me?"

Admete stopped subtly fussing with her sleeves when Mordecai walked in. The troubles with new clothing. Never fit quite the same as the old, comfortable, rather worn-in stuff had.

Which she couldn't wear now. Most of it being in Auror red and all that. "Admete Brown. Good to meet you, Mr. Hollingbury. Please, sit down, have some tea. It's just ready." She motioned towards the tea set. "I won't take too much of your time."

She didn't have that much of her own to spare, anyways. Just enough to check in and try to head any issues off. "Just wanted to hear about the office, see if you have any concerns. Expect things can get a bit busy now." Students home on break just seemed to beg for a pile of issues, and combining that with family visits, alcoholic celebrations, and who knows what else. They'd already had that murder to deal with.

Send a cleaner up to my office to get rid of the remaining pamphlets hiding there, said a voice in his head, but Mordecai knew it was just his own annoyances at having to deal with past times. It was more than a decade now, and he had to move on.

He sat down in the seat, and gingerly tried the proffered tea, attempting to block out his inner tea brewer senses. It wasn't too bad, but he wasn't going to pass criticism on it. It was not why he was here. He still gave her a deliberate show of relaxing with the tea, settling back into the chair with an air of satisfaction with the cup while he arranged his thoughts into order.

"At the moment my only concern is the Office having a more active presence in the Ministry. Where relevant," he added. "I don't intend the Office to become a background prop that only answers when it is called up to deal with something. I'm sure the majority of the population know that the Office is no longer involved in the activities it performed during the Second War, but it would be good to have a bit more publicity."

He put the cup down on her desk calmly. "I would like to add that the Office is taking a pro-Muggle stance as opposed to the decade prior, mostly because I'm the Head now. I didn't get the chance to discuss this with Rosier before you took up the position, so I would like to hear your opinion on the Office's new direction."

Technically he wasn't this formal when it came to talking to his boss, but that was Rosier. With Admete he was less certain, and therefore was partly occupied in observing her responses.

"Hate to see it as a background prop as well." Admete folded her hands in her lap. Whole new job, new chair; couldn't let herself fidget. "Can speak to the Law Enforcement Patrol, see if they have some ideas on cooperation. Somewhere to start."

At least Hollingbury didn't seem too tense. There were some people who tended to clam up around Aurors, or was an Auror til last week Department Heads. People being open, even if they were angry doing it, made things clearer.

Though she did lean forward, curious, at the pro-Muggle comment. Pro-Muggleborn, she'd have expected, but Muggles? "Have you contacted anyone from the Muggle Affairs office? They've been a bit of a disaster, but someone should be able to spare a minute. Seems their type of thing." Magical Cooperation would probably handle the publicity matter as well. "And I'll admit, it's not quite what I expected. Think I'd like to hear more." Things were too early for her to show anything besides a pleased look that he was actually talking about it. How it played out would come later.

Admete was short and concise. Mordecai tended to favour a more relaxed conversation, but he figured that she was still settling down into the job. It was too early to tell if she would loosen up or not, so he settled for chugging on ahead.

"Yes. Pro-Muggle." He was used to clarifying; it was not often that the MoM had to deal with Muggle affairs. "It encompasses Muggleborns as well, but I don't intend for the office to be exclusive to the magical folk. Illegal magic used on non-magical folk is still a crime."

He paused for thought, and then added, "Perhaps impartiality would be a better way to describe it, but due to the Office's history with Muggleborns I might as well make it a tad more specific. With your opinion it would be official, but I'm not stating it publicly.

"The Muggle Affairs Office has indeed been...lacking, which is why I haven't gone to them at the moment. But at the most I don't think we will have contact with any Muggles. Unless a Muggle lawyer ends up working within the MoM." His tone was dry, but it was for the moment only and it wasn't towards Admete.

He sighed and glanced into the cup he was drinking from. "Right now, I think all I can do is represent the Office in events and Prophet interviews, alongside my one employee."

Well, that sounded much better. Admete shot Mr. Hollingbury a quick flash of a smile across the desk, and unclenched her hands just a little. "It's official, then. Though impartiality might sound better if it gets to to public statements." There was a bit of dry humor to her voice as well. Merlin, but the press weren't any joy to deal with.

"And we'll see how the MoM works out. Maybe they'll surprise us all. Maybe not." She shrugged. If Muggle Affairs really came back after their head was kidnapped, she'd be impressed. Not that she'd bet on it. Not that she generally bet on anything.

"If the Prophet graces me," she said, with a touch of sarcasm at the word 'grace', "with an interview, I can certainly mention you. Seems they're always looking for someone new to chat with." Though his employee count did rather raise an eyebrow. Was the office always that small? "Do you expect you'll need more staff in the future, then?" Might as well figure out what everyone wanted-and needed-now.

"Impartiality it is." Mordecai leaned back. "And yes, feel free to send the Prophet my way. Sounds like you're having a fair tussle with the rest of the MLE already. You can count on the IUM to not actually be of much bother to you, for the moment."

He leaned forward at her question. "Between you and me, just a few people on the staff might be sufficient. There may not be anything happening on the streets of late, but it's still a pain to do the filing and sorting by myself." His eyes shifted to one side. "And I need someone to help me clean the place, especially with all the old pamphlets from the War still littering the damn office."

"Haven't had too much time for too much of a tussle yet, shall see about that." Admete set her hands on the desk together and leaned forward. "But it's good to hear."

Her fingers curled around each other and her brow wrinkled slightly in thought. "New staff might require some budget wrangling, but it shouldn't be difficult to get someone in there to clean.  Especially if you've that sort of trash still hiding around." The war wasn't something she wanted to think of-well, it wasn't something anyone with some sense would want to think of. "Presume you'll want to have them check with you before they get cleaning."

She took a look around the not quite organized state of her own office. It'd get there. "Sure we could find an intern somewhere to do some filing, though. Their sort of job." And the experience was good for them too.

Oh thank Merlin, there were people who could clean it up without his presence. Good.

"I think I have...one intern coming in. Jacob Dorian. My meeting with him is scheduled after the new year, when things have died down a bit and we have less hassle to deal with by then." Mordecai glanced at his pocket watch. "By the the office will be pamphlet-free and I'll have some peace of mind coming to work every day instead of having to fear the lurking presence of another one hiding under my desk or something."

His tone was light, but he knew Admete would understand what he wasn't saying out loud. Most of the people he knew shared an unspoken connection with each other, even if it were just by the scars from the wars. Some things didn't need to be said.

"Well, I think that would clear up the current situation in the office," he continued, tucking his pocket watch away. "That's about all I needed to speak of for the moment, and I'm glad I managed to get the chance." He smiled at Admete. "Even if the person is not Cameron Rosier. Times change, and we must change with them or get left behind.

"It's been a pleasure speaking with you on Office matters, and I'm sure it'll be a further pleasure working with you." Hopefully. "Is there anything else you need from me? I'm sure I've exhausted all the matters I need to discuss with you, for the moment."

That wasn't a period anyone wanted to find random paperwork from. Unlike the other sorts of old paperwork, which ranged from amusing to annoying to well if no one came hunting it it must not have been that important.

"I'll arrange to have someone in there before the New Year. Didn't have any other questions, just let me know if there's anything else you need later." Admete gave him a curt, appreciative nod. That they both had plenty to manage was something she had no doubts about.

"Good to speak to you, too. And good luck with the intern." Her smile was quick and honest, and she sat up a bit straighter in her seat. At least some things were going well so far.

Mordecai smiled at her answer. She seemed a little more cheerful than she had been when he had walked in through the door. That was a good sign for him, and perhaps a good note to end on. He disliked ending on less than agreeable terms in conversations.

"Then I won't keep you from your tasks. You're probably busy sorting out the rest of the MLE as well." Mordecai rose from his seat, but taking his time so that he didn't look like he was running away from Admete. "I wish you luck with the rest of the department then, I have a feeling some might not take you as well as I did."

His eyes glanced at the teacup sitting on the desk. "And thank you for taking time out of your day to make tea, it was a pleasant surprise." He smiled at her as he considered telling her how it was like, and then decided not to. It was their first formal conversation.

"Plenty to keep me on my toes, at least." Admete smiled at little at his thanks for the tea. "And it wasn't any trouble, I'm used to making it." She might joke about inflicting such duties on the trainees, but she preferred to handle them herself.

"But I do have a bit of paperwork to get to." Not the most pleasant thing, but, well, had to be done. The transition had left rather large piles of it about. "Sure we'll speak later."

Apparently, one of the first things she'd have to fill out was something to get more quills.

End