(10:42am)

So Young!

The sharp clicking of the hard soles of faded (and gunk-caked) cowboy boots rapping in syncope against marble floor filled the corridor as Tulojow made her way towards the Auror's office with the ever-present limp.  Several heads peeked up over their cubicle dividers as the tapping grew louder.  Had she really looked that young when she'd first found herself behind one of those desk?  It had been around 1965 when Tulojow had first sat behind one of those desks as a newly qualified dark wizard hunter.  A small, nostalgic chuckle escaped Tulojow as her memories drifted back to those days.  It had been a wonderful time and those had been wonderful days. 

She could distinctly remember her first assignment.  Word had reached the office of a black market shipment of dragon eggs coming out of Antigua in the Carribean.  Her first weekend on the island, she'd slipped away from the island to spend a weekend listening to a fresh, young Bob Marley leading up a band called the Wailers.  So many muggles had reached levels of out-of-body-experiences that many seers longed for.  With a little help of course.  Those were, really, the days.

It was easy to tell the experienced Aurors from the fresh blood.  The old timers only cast her a fleeting glance before returning to their work - some even seemed to double their efforts almost in an effort to prove her reputation wouldn't rub off on them.  The youngsters, though, were the ones that lingered at the top of their cubicle walls, staring at the old woman in jeans, a turquoise tunic blouse, beaded belt and loose, sleek black hair that fell well to the seat of her jeans.  Not to mention the unicorn-manure caked, steel-toed, Montana-made cowboy boots.

"Is that her?" the youngster closest to the door whispered to his neighbor.

"Oh, probably," Tulojow cut in before the other fellow could respond as she stopped before the fellow's desk.   "Has Jameson shown yet?  He's meeting me here with a youngster."  The green-horn Auror shook his head.  "Ahh, he should be here shortly.  In the meantime, there should be a package for me?  Some papers lying around - probably sent from South Africa." 

A package was passed over from another desk and handed over to Tulojow.  "If you see him, I'll be at Matheson's desk."  Without waiting for permission or agreement, Tulojow weaved between the first few desks and set herself at the vacant desk, opening the envelope and withdrawing the stack of photos. 

"Come on Kid, stop fidgeting... we will be there soon..." the Aura... or whatever the hell they were called... said plaintively as they rode the lift towards the second level. Keegan glowered as he crossed his arms and swayed back and forth from his heel to the balls of his feet. "Thats not what I am nervous about..." He muttered under his breath. In Keegan's mind, these Aura's were just the Fuzz and being dragged somewhere by a cop was never a good thing. Maybe his mum had been right. Maybe this "Hogwarts" was going to be worse then a boys school. He couldn't, and wouldn't, think of it as anything less considering he was being dragged into a place called "The Department of Magical Law Enforcement" by a guy wearing a badge. Last time he checked, that meant he was being arrested.

The lift came to a lurching halt and a voice chimed "Level two: Department of Magical Law Enforcement". Keegan dug his heels in as the doors slid open, suddenly very nervous. What kind of interogation tactics did magic people use? He imagined that it was a lot more painful, like boiling someones insides so there was no marks on the outside. Could you do that with magic? He bet they could. More so, could HE learn to do that? The idea that he might actually learn something badass like that weakened his resolve enough for the auror to pull him from the lift and once he lost his foothold, it was just a matter of pushing him down the hallway.

"I brought the kid... Where is she?" the auror, whose name Keegan had already pointedly forgotten, said wearily to another man dressed in the same robes. She? Oh wonderful... Women cops are scary... he thought to himself as he was ushered, bodily, towards a desk in the back. Keegan had known very few policewoman in his time but the ones he had met were all kind and sweet until you didn't give them what they wanted, and then BAM, on went the bitch switch. Like his mother, though hers seemed to be broken in the 'on' position.

"Sorry I am late Aur...er... Professor Nagde...The kid was a handful..." The aurors hand rested briefly on Keegan's head as he spoke to the tall, dark haired woman sitting leisurely at a desk in jeans and boots. Is this how cops dress here?... wait... Keegans train of thought paused when it dawned on him what the man was saying. Professor? She is a teacher? The idea made his already pale skin fade a bit further. A cop is may teacher? Can this get any worse?

Glowering, he brushed the mans hand from his head and focused his best glare on the woman. Putting out his hand, he closed his fists and pressed his wrists together, palms up. "Just do it... I know the deal... One phone call and don't drop the soap..." He said the last part a bit more sarcastically then he really needed to, especially since he was only 11 and hadn't actually BEEN in jail yet. But cops and robber movies made it very clear what was going down.

Though he never got the whole soap thing... Slipping hazard maybe?

Nothing.  Nothing.  Nothing. 

Tulojow leafed through the top handful of photos, studying the faces and backgrounds for any signs of something amiss.  In one of the pictures, she recognized a few of the faces but, in all of them, the dress, the beadwork and the demeanor all seemed on par with typical modern Zulu custom.  What was left of it, at least.  Nothing jumped off the page, screaming "dark wizard involvement."   Tulojow leaned back in Matheson's chair, studying the fourth photo as she heard someone stumble over her name. 

"Jameson?" she asked, needlessly.  Unless today was bring your child to work day at the Auror office, there were few others he'd be.  Tulojow no longer answered to the Auror's office and, therefore, saw little reason to show any of the restraint she'd shown when fully employed there.  What little of it there'd been at the time.  She stared up at the young Auror with disbelief and an obvious hint of disappointment in her expression. 

"You're a fully trainer Auror, aren't you not?"  She asked, with an unamused sigh.  "And, you were bested by an 11-year-old.  I wouldn't go repeating that excuse too loudly if I were you." 

With that, she turned her attention fully to the youngster at his side.  She offered the young boy a grin and winked at him.  "Good job with this one; he needed the challenge," she said, tilting her chin towards Jameson. 

She grew more serious and leaned back again in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest as she studied the young man in front of her.  The distrust and stoic detachment was etched as plain as day across his face.  She'd seen it many times in the faces of young Death Eaters that had viewed Lord Voldemort as a way to give reason for the way they violently expressed their insecurities.  Really, this youngster should have been old hat to Jameson but, maybe not being able to just pull a wand and stun the boy had stumped him.  Hopefully, the presence of that demeanor in the young boy wasn't the evidence of someone having done a number on the boy.  Time would only tell. 

Tulojow resisted the urge to smile at the boy as he extended his arms, clearly awaiting to be cuffed up and led off.  So, the young muggleborn had at least figured out the usual purpose of this office.  He was a clever young man.  Clever and tough-skinned; a challenging combination.  Chances were, showing the boy that she found the gesture cute would probably not start them off on the right foot.  Drop the soap, indeed.

So, she chose an entirely different tactic. 

"Well, young man.  Seems you're in a  bit of trouble.  You know, my options are limited.  The big man at top wants to see results."  To the tune of a few surprised and uneasy murmurs, Tulojow drew her wand as she took a gentle, but firm hold of the boy's hands.  She pulled a spare leather hair-tie from her pocket and tapped it with her wand before guiding it around the boy's wrists.  She gave the boy's wrists two gentle taps under the guise of cuing the leather tie to softly encircle his wrists.  At the same time, though, placing a simple tracking charm on the lad for good measure.  She had a feeling it may come in handy. 

"What's your name, son?" she asked.  The school had, of course, told her the young boy's name.

"Well, young man.  Seems you're in a  bit of trouble.  You know, my options are limited.  The big man at top wants to see results."

"It's not..." Keegan started to say that the old hags windows blowing out were purely a coincidence, but then remembered that these were cops, they didn't care. He would just look more guilty if he complained. Grumbling, he slumped in the chair as she wrapped his hands up with something that looked more like a decorative hairpiece then handcuffs. Studying it out of the corner of his eye, he tried to figure it out. Maybe it was magic or something, like if he tried to take it off it would suddenly grow and string him up by his ankles above a piranha pit all James Bond villain style. As cool as that idea was, he didn't like the idea of it happening to him.

"What's your name, son?"

"What... They didn't send over my file?" He replied sarcastically, knowing full well not to give out his name until they told him of what he had been accused of. The auror, Jameson, stepped forward and bopped him upside the head. "His name is Keegan Kearney..." He said helpfully, though surely uncertain why he needed to tell her that. Keegan glared at him, tempted to shout 'police brutality' as loud as he could, but decided against it because it would draw attention to him and he couldn't  escape if everyone was staring at him. No, he needed to play it cool.

"Yeah that's my name. Don't wear it out..." He retorted, pulling out the best comeback he could think of as he glared at Jameson again. Looking back at the lady cop, he shrugged and tried to look around nonchalantly "So uh.. What did I do that wanted the 'big mans' attention?... Doesn't he have better stuff to do then pick on some kid? I mean... like fight dragons and pull shite out of stones...?"
 

Tulojow lifted an eyebrow as the boy's voice trailed off.  "It's not what?"  Tulojow asked, curiously.  She had received the youngster's file a few days previously but, other than glancing at his name and age, Tulojow had left the file largely unread.  Judging by some of the side comments and rolled eyes the fellow that had delivered the file had made, the file wasn't filled with flowery compliments about the boy.  She'd pointedly avoided looking in the file, not wanting the file to define her perception of the boy. 

It was obvious, though, the boy had expected her to have been influenced by whatever rumors were there. 

"They did," she said, nodding her head, pointedly.  "I didn't read it though.  Figured I'd give you the opportunity to introduce yourself.  But, I can always go back and read it thoroughly if- "  Her voice cut off and anger flushed her face as Jameson hit the boy.  She leaned forward against the desk, glowering at the young auror.  "Lay a hand on the young man again and there'll be trouble."  The dark warning was easily recognizable in her voice.  "Is that how their teaching the greenhorns these days?  Not as many DE around so you slap around eleven-year-olds?"  Jameson's face flushed. 

"Keegan.  And, is that what you prefer to be called?"  She asked, nodding a head towards a chair nearby.  "I'm Tulojow.  Or Tulo.  You know, I'm not sure what you did but it must have been something quite rebellious.  Especially to get landed with the likes a me.  Just take a look around at them - they'd be horrified to find themselves stuck with me."  She couldn't help the small chuckle and grin.  The tougher the kid tried to be, the more amusing he came across.  "Well, the dragon fighters and shite pullers are in other departments.  Shite hasn't broken the law, after all.  Did he bother to feed you?"  She asked, nodding a head towards Jameson.

When the old lady snapped at Jameson, Keegan couldn't help but sneak a smirk at him. Served him right, dragging an innocent kid into the police station without telling him what he was accused of. If it weren't for the fact that he was sure his reputation preceded him, he might have turned on the fake tears and told her how mean he had been to him. Instead, he chose to just stick his tongue out at the man briefly before turning back to the woman.

"Keegan.  And, is that what you prefer to be called? I'm Tulojow.  Or Tulo.  You know, I'm not sure what you did but it must have been something quite rebellious.  Especially to get landed with the likes a me.  Just take a look around at them - they'd be horrified to find themselves stuck with me."

She started in on her introduction before Keegan got a chance to tell her that only his friends called him Keegan, not the cops. When she said that all the other aurors would be horrified to get stuck with her, Keegan snuck a look at the others standing around them. True enough, there were several aurors giving the pair wary looks and whispering conspiratorially amongst themselves. What had he gotten himself into? Was she some kind of fire breathing monster woman who ate little kids for dinner? The idea caused him to fidget a bit nervously, his wrists grinding against the leather rope around them.

 "Well, the dragon fighters and shite pullers are in other departments.  Shite hasn't broken the law, after all.  Did he bother to feed you?"

There was few ways into Keegan's heart. You could have the guts to punch him in the face... or you offered him food. Having grown up living off of microwave ramen and ketchup sandwiches, Keegan craved a homecooked meal at almost all hours. It didn't help that he was a growing boy with no way to get enough money to buy decent food, in fact, a good portion of the crimes in his folder involved shoplifting food. At her question, Keegan's stomach grumbled painfully and he started to salivate. At once he became less of a hardened criminal and more of a hungry little boy. Shaking his head slowly, he indicated he had not eaten.

It was no surprise that the boy was staying mum.  Tulojow didn't need to even open his file to recognize that trouble was no stranger to this young man.  He clearly didn't trust anyone in the building and being dragged into a law office by a stranger probably only confirmed his uncertainty.  Jameson hovering around, still, as if he was expecting the boy to make a break for it or otherwise wreck havoc wasn't helping matters at all. 

"You can go," she said to the auror, bluntly.  "You've done your job as best you can." 

"Look.  I've spent the last hour with this br-"  Wisely, Jameson didn't finish.  The look Tulojow cast him killed his voice mid-sentence and with a sigh, the auror turned and stalked off to his own desk. 

Tulojow turned back to Keegan and leaned across the table towards him.  "Now.  As I'm sure you can tell, Mr. Kearney, the others would greatly disapprove of my doing this.  But, considering we're going to be spending the summer together, I'd like to start out on a good note.  I'm going to take those off," she nodded down to the leather hair band on the boy's wrist.  "so you can walk out of here a free man.  I'm hoping you'll show me the same trust I'm showing you."  The tracking charm, though, would be staying in place. 

Without waiting for the boy to respond, Tulojow tapped her wand to on the boy's wrist and the bands slipped free of his hand.   "What do you like to eat?"  Tulojow asked as she pushed herself to her feet, using the corner of the desk to help support herself.  She limped slightly as she moved around the desk towards the young man and extended a hand to him.  "Are you strong enough to help an old woman?  Or should I ask Jameson for a hand?"

“I believe Jameson has other obligations to contend with.”

The voice, and the woman that it belonged to, manifested from around the corner of a cubicle. Arms crossed and barely standing at five feet tall, she would have stood a two good inches shorter than the roughly eleven year old had he not been sitting. Dressed casually with a slightly muggle flair in black slacks and a matching unadorned tee, hair hooked loosely behind her ears, she did not look like anyone of any sort of significance at all. Yet, quite coincidently to her sudden appearance, peering eyes vanished from the tops of cubicles and sides of filing cabinets. Parchment miraculously shuffled on top of desks, interdepartmental memos buzzed suspiciously through the air, and the low murmur of conversation drifted by with some semblance of importance.

It was as if the woman with the Native American fetish and her hair accessory detained boy had not been the obvious focal point of the room mere moments before. 
 
Tamis Raynor, the Head of the Auror Office, kept her gaze locked on Tulojow Nagde, not looking one bit surprised to see the woman, not even stealing a glance at Keegan as his ‘restraints’ were removed. There were only a couple of cataclysmic events that could distract the entire Auror Corps in the middle of the three largest investigations in almost five years. Since You-Know-Who had not resurrected and was not prancing down the halls high on a cheering charm, Raynor had safely assumed that Nagde had graced Level Two with her presence once more. And she had brought a little friend.

“I do not deem that Mr. Kearney is clear for release, Professor Nagde.” Sharply arching an eyebrow, her gray eyes appraised the boy, drifted up to Tulojow, and back again. She had obviously overhead the tail end of the conversation, enough to glean a name and the ploy, and she was willing to play along. For now.

Not that Raynor was about to let Nagde get away so easily. Jameson had past her on his way back to his desk and had been in such a bother that he had almost plowed into (or rather, over) her. That unobservant error had not improved the unoptimistic beginning to his day. It had, however, served as a short debriefing  as to what Raynor was walking into.

There was an observable shift in the office moments before the head of the department's arrival.  All around the room, staff members were returning to their work with a dedication that could only mean a supervisor was amongst them.  Tulojow grinned at Keegan with obvious amusement.  "And, here comes the big man, now," she said, matter-of-factly as Raynor rounded the corner of the cubicle.  "It could be hopeless; we may both be in for it now. 


(OOC; Hehe sorry sorry, just had to add a little interjection out of turn before Keegan posted.  Couldn't resist.  We can resume normal operations now)

"You can go, You've done your job as best you can." 

"Look.  I've spent the last hour with this br-"

Keegan watched the exchange between Tulojow and Jameson with unabashed amusement, unable to disguise the smug smirk that spread across his face when Jameson was cut down by Tulo's glance like a little kid being slapped on the hand. As Jameson turned to stalk off, Keegan stuck out his tongue. He would have flashed the guy a rather rude gesture as well if his hands weren't tied together. Speaking of which, Keegan turned back to her as she begin to fiddle with the restraints.

"Now.  As I'm sure you can tell, Mr. Kearney, the others would greatly disapprove of my doing this.  But, considering we're going to be spending the summer together, I'd like to start out on a good note.  I'm going to take those off, so you can walk out of here a free man.  I'm hoping you'll show me the same trust I'm showing you."

Keegan remained quiet, rubbing his wrists as he eyed her with a fair amount of suspicion. Was she and Jameson playing the whole "good cop, bad cop" game, trying to trick him into trusting her and letting his guard down? He had a sneaking suspicion that this was the case, so as he stood, he rolled onto the balls of his feet, ready to bolt the moment she tried to trap him.

"What do you like to eat? Are you strong enough to help an old woman?  Or should I ask Jameson for a hand?"

"Ah.. No no..." Keegan said slowly, unsure how to respond. He didn't want to get trapped by helping her up, but he also didn't want her to bring that prat back over either. Besides, the prospect of food was too appealing for him to bypass. Maybe he would wait until after she fed him to take off. He learned long ago that running away on empty wasn't very conducive. As he stood and offered her his arm a bit reluctantly, the mood in the room suddenly changed and Tulo gave him a disarming grin.

 "And, here comes the big man, now, It could be hopeless; we may both be in for it now."

"What? Where?" Keegan immediately looked around for the 'big man', who he assumed was... well... a big man. He didn't expect for his eyes to fall upon what was both a very short and very non-masculine woman. She was smaller then him! Granted he was tall for his age, but she was tiny. It was her effect on the surroundings that was the epitome of the phrase "Big things come in small packages". Her very presence was making the air in the room electrified, and suddenly the aimlessly milling workers were struck silent and busy. The effect on Keegan left him frozen in place, desperately trying to keep his expression from betraying his nerves.

“I do not deem that Mr. Kearney is clear for release, Professor Nagde.”

Keegan's pride and desire to clarify that he was innocent far outweighed his fear of the woman. When she announced he was still in custody, Keegan broke his silence "I am in me wick! I ain't done shite wrong... that Oinseach deserved wha she got. Ate me head off for nothin'" His face and ears flushed with anger, Keegan turned to Tulo with a surprising request "Tell 'er! Tell 'er I am innocent!"

---

Slang:
I am in me wick!: You must be joking!
Oinseach: crusty old woman
Ate me head off: Abused verbally

"Good for him," Tulojow said, flatly, her hand reaching out and taking Keegan's.  She, of course, could support her own weight - while her knee did bother her, it was usually when she sat down and stood up that it was at its weakest.  Once up, it usually held its own.  But, the young man didn't know that.  Nor, she assumed, did the woman opposite her know that many details about her condition. 

Tulojow wouldn't, normally, have anything against the woman that faced her.  Tulojow regarded her with the same respect that she offered anyone else - unfortunately, holding a supervisor to the same level of respect that she held a casual acquaintance or stranger wasn't what the Ministry deemed as sufficient.  Tulojow's own unwillingness to take directives as anything more than a friendly suggestion often put her at odds with her supervisors.  It just happened to be that it was under this woman's watch that Tulojow's age and free-spirit finally got the better of her.  And, Tulojow knew she'd done little to assure her a place in the department after the office no longer had any real reason to keep her.

Some part of her still hoped that, by some miracle, her situation could change and she could take her previous position.  But, that was a faint hope.  Tulojow glanced down at the Keegan and grinned.  "Don't worry," she said, nodding in the head Auror's direction.  "She's mostly harmless."

"I don't believe that's within your jurisdiction," Tulojow said, the faintest grin flickering on her face.  But, for Keegan's benefit, it was quickly replaced with a critical scowl.  Despite their miscommunications in the past, Tulojow assumed that Raynor was bright enough not to see through this immediately.  Confident the younger woman knew, for once, Tulojow's confrontation wasn't entirely legitimate.  Of course, Tulojow was enjoying having some fun at the office's expense, though.  Tulojow opened her mouth to answer the woman, but Keegan beat her to it. 

She waited patiently as Keegan snapped at the woman.  When he'd fallen quiet, Tulojow looked down at him.  "You need to learn a little bit about not admitting fault until you have no choice.  No need to jump to a full confession just because the big man looks at you."  She turned towards Raynor.  "The suspicions in the young man's files are nothing more than that.  Suspicions.  The rubbish in there you people dragged up is a mockery - there's nothing there to hold him with.  And, as you just heard, he didn't do that.  Can't argue with that defense."

If there was one good reason for why Tamis Raynor should not reproduce, this was it. She universally terrified children.  While such results would make childrearing a rather simple feat, the emotional repercussions on the offspring themselves would be tragic.

“A matter of prospective,” the auror replied to Nagde, one corner of her mouth almost quirking back in good humor. Almost. If one had been watching scrupulously one might have managed to glimpse the involuntary twitch at the edge of her lips before the brain demanded a cease action. Her qualms with the former Auror were only profession, and those solely on the basis that the woman had been unpredictable and unreliable as an Auror, in Raynor’s opinion. So fully appreciated the woman’s quirky spunk, but was glad to be relieved of dealing with it.

 The grunt that escaped her at the mention of jurisdiction held the more classic irony and sarcasm that the little witch was known for. However much in jest it had been, it was relevant to her current concerns. Who knew what belonged in whose jurisdiction anymore? Alexander Belisario had apparently decided to make himself of even less use of late. Her lips compressed.

As the young boy sprang to life, the eyebrow that had been arching almost disappeared into her hairline. She had not expected him to feel so threatened. Almost anything that was felt like it was backed into a corner would defend itself. However, Raynor had to admit, she was not used to be yelled at by someone very near eye level as opposed to towering over her. It was a curiously different experience. The acoustics were much better.

Despite the onslaught of cases challenging her, until now, vastly untested men, despite the fact that her superior was all but missing in action and leaving her with all the paperwork, the Head Auror was overcome by the uncharacteristic desire to laugh at Kearney’s confession. She had to keep her expression in a carefully set stone mask.

“I see,” was her stoic response. But her eyes twinkled, just so, as she held Nagde’s gaze. “There is never any harm in being over vigilante, Professor. We take every misdemeanor seriously.” She elongated the word ‘every’ for Kearney’s benefit. There was a long pause where she crossed her arms, titled her chin up just so, and gave the boy the same considering, searching look she gave one of her men when she was not quite sure how much trouble they were in yet.

“But,” she finally began, “if he is in your competent care for the summer, I suppose we can make an exception. We are not beyond second chances, especially if he is innocent.”

And she had just inferred that Tulojow had enough sway to influence the ‘big man’s’ decision. She figured that the other woman could owe her later.

((Gah sorry this has taken so long!!! I love you!!!))

"You need to learn a little bit about not admitting fault until you have no choice.  No need to jump to a full confession just because the big man looks at you."

"But..." Keegan opened his mouth and then quickly clapped it shut, glowering. He hadn't wanted a lecture, dammit, he wanted her to tell this Raynor woman to lay off a little. It seemed to be in her power, since that one idiot auror who brought him in laid off the moment she gave him a look. Surely this one would do the same.

"The suspicions in the young man's files are nothing more than that.  Suspicions.  The rubbish in there you people dragged up is a mockery - there's nothing there to hold him with.  And, as you just heard, he didn't do that.  Can't argue with that defense."

That was better. Not exactly what he expected, but she made a good point. Nodding his head, he crossed his arms and turned his gaze to the shorter woman, who regarded him with a strangely amused gaze. He was too young to realize when he was being teased, so what she said next was terrifying.

“I see, There is never any harm in being over vigilante, Professor. We take every misdemeanor seriously.”

"Ya gotta be kid--" He started to exclaim, prepared to make a run for it if she suggested he be locked up or worse, grounded. But she quickly shushed him with what she said next.

“But, if he is in your competent care for the summer, I suppose we can make an exception. We are not beyond second chances, especially if he is innocent.”

"I am innocent.. I..." He paused, looked at Tulo and then crossed his arms. Nodding his head firmly he said "I am." He then returned his gaze to the older woman, a new light of admiration in his pale eyes. Was she so powerful that they would bend to her will? He had to say, that was pretty brilliant. Maybe he had misjudged her. Not that he would tell her that.

Tulojow was quite pleased and surprised that it seemed Tamis had caught onto the game and was playing along.  The first really wasn't that surprising - picking up on subtle cues was, no doubt, a survival tactic for Aurors.  It was really more the second element.  But, her own forty years of experience was plenty to keep the surprise from registering in her features.  Instead, she gave the head of the office a curt nod. 

"Of course.  I understand the importance of vigilance fully."  The comment could, quite easily, be taken as quite sarcastic.  Especially to one who was fully aware of how readily Tulojow tossed caution to the wind.  "But, I'll vouch for this one personally.  I'll bank my badge and reputation on  the fact that you will not see this youngster in this office again."  To the uninformed, the offer seemed quite monumental. 

Tulojow looked from the boy to Tamis before casting a quick glance over the woman's shoulders.  "But, if we are to be frank," she said, looking back at Tamis.  "If Jameson's performance is any indication, I maybe the best one qualified for the position."

"So how about it," she said, turning her attention to Keegan, her hand still holding his.  "We could go fancy-shmancy and get somethings like salmon with capers and truffles and all that other weird stuff.  Or maybe just some fish and chips.  Salisbury steak?  We can stay here with wizarding food or go out into London if there's something specific you want."

With an almost perfect simulation of a statue, the Head Auror stood there for a long moment with one eyebrow still quirked, considering the older and seasoned woman. She did not outwardly respond to the head gesture that acknowledged, possibly accepted, her corporation in the little scenario Nagde had just staged. The contemplative silence could have been taken as the equivalent to an awkward moment in more … emotionally forthcoming … individual. The bittersweet history connecting the two women pressed claustrophobically in the short distance between them.

Then the moment was gone.

“I will hold you to that,” a gray spark of dry amusement ignited in Raynor’s eyes at the amount of irony in Nagde’s words. But she kept her opinions to herself and assumed the persona of detached professionalism that was her trademarked. The Auror lingered just long enough to make sure that there were not any direct insults to her person in those underlying meanings before moving on.

She turned to leave, but Tulojow’s parting comment stayed her. Looking back, one side of her mouth tilted back into a smirk. It was hard to tell if it held any mirth or not. “My men are not trained to be babysitters.” The fact that she was planning on sitting down and having a little chat with Jameson about etiquette seemed entirely unworthy of mention. “I recommend a more hospitable setting for your future endeavors. Headquarters has been tense of late.” A rather polite way of telling the Professor to keep all further personal business matters off of Raynor’s turf. The distraction it had caused among the men had not been appreciated.

“Enjoy your meal.” It was doubtful the farewell was heard as the topic had already changed to what wonders awaited them for lunch. But she did at least have the courtesy to offer it. Shaking her head, the Head Auror disappeared back among the cubicles, off to plague some other unfortunate section of Level Two.