After months of deliberation, Edolie Fern had finally come to a decision: to leave Hogwarts and accept the offer to curate the National Museum of Wizarding History. The offer felt like receiving everything she had been working so hard for, and since she hadn't felt that way about becoming a Professor -- well, the decision had been that much easier. While she enjoyed the experience of helping students learn about the subjects she was most passionate about, Edie had always felt trapped by the thick stone walls of the school. Leaving the confines of the castle felt strangely like leaving a long prison term, and Edie left with just a pang of sadness for her lost career.

The job at the museum gave her the opportunity to travel and do different things every day, to study artifacts she had been hearing about for years. She proudly marched throughout the building, occasionally getting swept up in the magnificence of the profound history of her people. The past had produced some truly remarkable stories and noble witches and wizards, and Edie was honored to be able to showcase them.

Tonight she was just dusting off one of the chipped remains of one of the teacups belonging to Nicolas Flamel's late spouse. It was rumored that Flamel was inspired for the sorcerer's stone by this very teacup, but of course this was all just hearsay. No one could know where Flamel's inspiration really came from --  but having the teacup in question was like finding the Holy Grail (which they also had in their possession, much to many muggles' dismay, she knew. They'd been on the hunt for it for centuries).

It hadn't been that long since Edolie had been working at the museum, but within the first few weeks of her employment there, there had been a break-in. A valuable set of apples had been pilfered from the museum -- Idunna Copper apples, if Edie wasn't mistaken, which she knew were rather significant.

She expected that she'd be interviewed soon regarding the event, as she'd been there on the night it had happened, which left her with more than a few qualms with her new profession. Firstly, she immediately became more concerned with her safety. The building had to have countless security spells --- Edolie had to go through security every day just to get to the rooms where the artifacts were. But how safe was anything, anyone, if someone had managed to get in without anyone noticing? Secondly, as one of the newer employees, Edolie became concerned about her reputation. If it seemed like an inside job.... would they point fingers at the new guy first?

Edie sat, carefully coating the teacup in a protective potion. She'd been working at the museum now for a few weeks and was becoming very well acclimated. The atmosphere of the museum felt so much more suitable to Edolie that she was even beginning to hum quietly to herself without realizing it. Robbery or not, this environment was one that Edie could already tell she would thrive in.

Andromeda might be an auror, but in shadow the museum looked creepy. It was not too dark tonight, and there were people working still. Andromeda had been sent to collect some more statements about the missing apples. Edolie Fern used to be a Professor at Hogwarts. Apparently she had chosen to leave at the end of the term and become a curator. There was nothing suspicious about this at face value. People changed their jobs all the time. They still needed a statement.

Andromeda found Ms Fern still at work, doing something with a teacup. The auror in red robes could hear her humming as she approached. She felt a little bad for breaking Edolie's concentration. Her boots on the floor announced her arrival.
"Hello. Ms Fern?" Andromeda asked. Her instinct was to consider offering a handshake, but Edolie was busy with her hands. "I believe you have been expecting the aurors to come and interview you?" The question was a bit rhetorical, the aurors and other Magical Law Enforcement people had been present a lot since the apples disappeared.

"Auror Gamp. I am here to take a statement and ask you some questions. Can I sit?" Andromeda pointed to a chair and then sat down. She watched Edolie and the teacup for a few seconds. She decided to ask about the teacup as a way of assessing how Edolie answered normal questions. Fern would have no motive to lie about the teacup, Andromeda thought.
"Is this elaborate washing up?" She asked and nodded towards Edolie. "Or is that a very special teacup?"

Neville hated the National Museum of Magical History. Sure it was a cool looking building and had incredible anti-muggle wardings and would have probably been fascinating to come to as a Hogwarts student but as an adult Neville found the whole place unsettling. Storing this many magical items in one place was just asking for trouble. Not to mention that Historians always seemed to have a fascination with War. The Modern History wing at the museum in particular had two exhibits dedicated to the rise and fall of Voldermort and the two Wizarding Wars he incited. Both being sore subjects for Neville. He was barely 30 and was already featured in a Museum as if he was some ancient artefact they had managed to procure.

Neville stood back from Gamp as she approached Ms. Fern. His arms were crossed over his chest and a sullen expression had crossed over his face. He'd let his partner take the lead on this one. He wasn't too familiar with Andromeda but he could have been paired up with worse. His years away from the Corps. made him feel like a stranger in his own home. So many new and unfamiliar faces.

He looked over the teacup and tried to think if there was any obvious significance to it. He hadn't been the best at History of Magic, Professor Binns was dreadful to try and pay attention to. If it hadn't been for his friends he likely would have never made it through.

Another bloody artifact missing.   Another bloody potentially cursed artifact missing, at that.  The corpus was just another case that had run cold for the time being – the last crime had been quite a bit ago and the leads were coming to an end – at least until this robbery.  If not for the fact that there could potentially be more inside out bodies turning up, Archer was at least glad he could come to do the investigative piece of this, and deal much less with interviews. 

He didn’t necessarily want to sit and talk about the item – he could hear about that from the two younger aurors that were tagging along.  He was here to supervise (as a senior auror would) and see the scene of the actual theft.  Sometimes, detectable traces would be left behind – some kind of clue that he could pull up with his career long list of tricks of the trade he’d accumulated.  Glancing around, he was not perturbed by the place; it was nothing new to him.  He’d been to far creepier sites for far more malicious crimes.

It’d hardly been two years since he’d pulled a nearly dead woman out of the shrieking shack, and finding a goblin corpse in a muggle tourist destination hadn’t exactly been pretty.  This was at least a neater crime scene.  Armed with an investigative kit, including a camera. 

He looked to Longbottom, as Gamp had already rushed ahead and was talking to someone.  “I’ll be at the display.  When you two finish here, meet me,” he instructed and turned down corridor toward the empty display.

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OOC: When you guys finish the interview piece, just poke me and I'll jump back in?

After the realisation that the Idunna Copper Apples had gone missing, Maximus days at the Museum had been anything but quiet. Aurors and reporters asking questions, visitors wondering why the Scandinavian exhibition was sealed off and Witte constantly searching every corner, blaming himself for the theft. It almost felt like being back in the busy hallways at Hogwarts. He didn’t like it that much.

Maximus had left two statements already, but been instructed to not talk to any press. That made him calmer. The Aurors were one thing, but being hassled by complete strangers with cameras and nosy questions were not something he could handle. His father had always told him that the press changes reality to sell papers.

He had just finished with his last task of the day (polishing the marble Graphorn statue by the toilets) and was going to go home. If it was any other day he would be reluctant to leave, but the stress after the break-in had taken his toll and he was looking forward to the quietness of the Huckabee household.

Rounding the corner to Miss Fern’s office, Maximus stopped. More Aurors. Probably around for another statement from his employer. He wasn’t sure what to do. If he headed in he might interrupt something and angry Miss Fern, or he would get questioned once again. On the other hand - if he just left without telling her, he would probably get scolded the coming day.

Maximus was still standing there, pondering his options, when one of the Aurors broke off, and headed down the corridor.

Jumping at the arrival of people next to her, Edolie abruptly stopped humming (an old tune by Finkle and Skrewts, embarrassingly) and luckily did not drop the historical teacup. She looked over at the woman cloaked in black and was even more startled. "Goodness, you're quiet!" Edolie commented, flashing a friendly smile to reassure that she wasn't angry.  Edolie knew herself rather well and realized she'd gotten caught up in what she was doing. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence -- scaring Edolie was easiest when she was hard at work.

Edie would have shaken the woman's hand but she was still in a bit of shock and was catching up to current time. She'd been off in the land of Finkle and Skrewts, a land better left in the 1970s. "Of course, of course," she said in response to the auror's request for an interview. Now Edolie was really snapping back to the moment. An interview was serious, and as the newest member of the staff, she had a twinge of concern for her reputation.

"It's nice to meet you, Ms. Gamp - please, call me Edolie," she said calmly. The other auror didn't introduce herself, but recognized the young chap as Neville Longbottom. She smiled at him, then looked over at the teacup as the auror asked about it. Edolie smiled at the inquiry. It wasn't a silly question; it wasn't as if this teacup was the Elder Wand or the Sorcerer's Stone itself. "It's a moderately special teacup -- formerly in possession of the Flamels," Edie explained. She frowned, knowing that a history lesson wasn't quite what the aurors were looking for. "I was actually authenticating the set on the night of the robbery."

Andromeda had not meant to leave Neville behind. Perhaps she had been a bit eager to get more witness statements. It helped to pass the time and she felt useful. The curator introduced herself as Edolie, something Andromeda already knew. She explained the teacup had belonged to the Flamels. Andromeda had studied History a long time ago, and could not remember who the Flamels were at first. She did not let her rubbish memory for Professor Binns and his lectures get in the way.
"Were you? Can you tell us your movements on that day?" She brought out parchment and a quill to take notes. Then she realised she had not introduced Neville. "Edolie, have you met Auror Longbottom?" She gestured. "Forgive me, he's such a famous face. He got asked for an autograph by a witness last week." Andromeda used the quill to push a lock of black hair out of her face. "Ok perhaps start with what time you come to work that day?"

"Nicholas Flamel, invented the Philosopher's Stone." he offered at the blank look Gamp had given at the mention of the artefact, "Hermione went on about them for months after Harry found it and Professor Dumbledore and Flamel destroyed it. She thought it was sad that he and his wife had to die." Neville gave an awkward sheepish look. The one he usually got when talking about his 'famous' friends. Most people gave him weird looks when he talked so casually about them.

A bit of crimson rose to his cheeks when Gamp introduced him. He didn't think it was all that necessary. It was plain by the look on her face that she recognized him, though he suspected his partner was just being courteous. He could have done without the reminder of his little fan run in though. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary for him but even after all these years it still made him feel a little embarrassed. Harry was in the Auror Corps. too, Neville wondered if it was just as bad for him.

"Did anything seem out of the ordinary that day? Any unfamiliar faces?"

Neville lifted his chin and without turning to face the teen hovering in the doorway, added, "Might as well join us son, you might have something to add."

Idara entered then, a vision in soft, dove cream, leather, and tempered patience.

The night before the theft, she had flown in from Lyon, fresh from a stay that had ended in the acquisition of one tapestry of very interesting origins, and had been busy since, holed up in her office drawing possible designs since the flight. Tonight, she would be busy still; after all, one did not simply reschedule with an Elder—especially when one’s very own son would be joining them. And though she had little sleep – and the missing apples were a terrible, terrible thing – she was looking forward to it.

But the theft – specifically, the ongoing investigation – threatened her plans. And like Maximus, Idara, too, had made her statements. She understood the necessity, of course, especially if they wanted to see the apples again. Having friends in high places made one all the more eager to go through the proper channels, too. But it was already difficult, finding time to spend with her son; he was always so busy. And these days…

Quietly Idara came up behind the teenager and rested a light hand on his shoulder. “That goes for the both of us, I suppose,” she murmured, slanting Maximus a smile, and kept the smile still as she headed into the room. She could see that her new colleague, Miss Edolie Fern, was already busy with one Auror, a rather young-looking witch of dark, narrow features.

Not wanting to disturb the pair, Idara silently waited by Neville—for him to notice her, and for Maximus to catch up as well. There was another Auror, a third, by the empty display, but he didn’t seem all that interested in the proceedings. “Auror Longbottom?” she prompted.

But quietly, of course. And not without a smile.

Delicately placing the teacup on the table, Edolie turned to face the aurors in order to participate more fully in the interview. "Nice to meet you, Auror Longbottom," Edolie responded affably. Of course Edolie knew all about Longbottom's involvement with the war and had always been impressed by the young man's bravery. During the time when it was all going on, Edolie had been abroad -- but she didn't fail to worry endlessly about the well-being of her alma mater.

"I came in at about 9 in the morning," Edolie remembered. The morning had started off like any other -- papers to be perused, artifacts to be officiated, coworkers to greet. She next considered Neville's question, flipping through the faces she recalled seeing that day. It wasn't particularly easy -- it wasn't as if Edolie had been keeping her eyes peeled for a suspicious face that day. "I didn't see anything unusual -- and most faces are unfamiliar to me here, I'm new," Edolie explained. "Just started about a month ago."

Auror Longbottom invited a young man into the room, and Edolie recognized him as one of the students working at the museum for the summer. She nodded a greeting to him, and then another to Idara. This whole ordeal was quite serious; Edolie hoped the mystery was solved rapidly.

Maximus had just decided to floo back to the family home for a nice, quiet dinner when Longbottom spoke. He knew exactly who Neville Longbottom was. Not only from books about the Battle of Hogwarts, but also from the school itself. There weren’t that many Professors with a name like that.

A gentle hand on his shoulder made him look up. Mrs Whitman. She gave him a small, and encourged him forward. Maximus, having no other option, followed her into the room. He nervously eyed the people in the room. Two Aurors, him, Mrs Whitman, and the new curator of the Museum were there. He saw Fern’s greeting nod, but just gave her one of his common frightened stares. He felt uneasy and wished for nothing else than to be home.

Neville did not hesitate to fill in the gaps about the Flamels. Andromeda did not look at him as he said it, she did not think the Flamels were important at the moment. Neville noticed a teenage boy listening to their conversation, and another curator. Andromeda decided to focus on Edolie Fern. She was who she had been told to interview.
"When was the last time you saw the apples?" Andromeda asked. "And do you look after any exhibits in the same room?"

The interview was continuing in her direction, which made Edolie feel a bit nervous but made sense, since they had started with her. It was quite alright that they interrogate her -- she wanted to get to the bottom of this just as much as they did. Those apples were of great historical significance -- it was no wonder a thief would want it. She looked at the aurors obligingly, encouraging them to continue with the interview.

"When was the last time you saw the apples?"

Edolie thought back. She had familiarized herself with the entire museum, a requirement of her new job. "It was in the Scandinavian room," Edolie explained. "I walk through the museum when I first get in, so that morning was the last time I saw them...." but there had been something funny that day. "But no, wait, Max --" she turned to the younger boy who she remembered from her time at Hogwarts. There was a set of books that had been acting up that day... she was trying to remember. She hadn't taken care of it herself, but had entrusted Maximus with the task. "The Grimmories."

She looked back at the aurors. "They're the exhibit right next to them. That day, they were in a dire need of soothing-" she felt the need to explain this to the aurors "-you know how magical books can be." That was the best she could do without giving into the temptation to go into too much detail. "Anyway, they were taken out rather late in the evening, maybe about 6? I went with Witte, the security guard, to take them from the display and bring it to the Artifacts room..." She tried to remember if the apples had been there when they'd taken the books out. Edolie's eyebrows furrowed in concentration, but couldn't recreate the image from that day in her head. She was just so used to the apples being there.

"And were the apples there at six?" Andromeda asked. It looked like Fern could not remember. Andromeda made a note to make sure that someone had checked with the guard. "And it was only noticed when Max returned the book, yes?" She asked as a follow up. "Can you explain what is special about the apples?"

Neville greeted Idara quickly yet politely enough. To be honest the more people present the easier this may be for them. A one on one wasn't that intimidating but when it was three crimson cloaks and one new curator well . . . he was sure Fern appreciated the presence of her colleagues. It also gave his partner and himself room to shift the questioning should things dry up with the Curator.

He kept his eyes on the lad as the questioning continued. Once it was mentioned that Maximums had been working on the exhibit next to the stolen apples Neville's interest was piqued. If need be they could question the kid though he doubted that fact had been over looked. Judging by the nervousness in the lad's expression he had already had his fair share of Auroras. They'd only question him if need be, which if Fern was unable to fill in her own blanks that need might just be faster than anticipated.

Neville didn't want to distract from Gamp's current line of questioning but the Blonde at his side was drawing his attention, "did you see the apples before six?" his voice was low and his lips barely moved as he spoke to Idara.